Burlington Walk Bike Council

Burlington Walk Bike Council (BWBC) October 1st, 2025 Meeting Notes The monthly meeting took place 5:30- 7:00 pm via Zoom and at the DPW Conference Room. In-Person Attendees: Erik Brotz*, Bob Leidy, Philip Peterson (DPW), Jack Evans* (Local Motion), Jak Tiano*, Gabe Nelson, Liza Boyle, Andy Tracy, Ellery Ames, Nolan Rogers Online Attendees: Jason Stuffle*, Gordon Dragoon*, Jason Segelman, Jackson Carroll, Cindy Cook, Serill Flash * BWBC Coordinating Committee members 1. Announcements & Updates ●​ Main St Scoping Study: project starting soon, Jack Evans will be BWBC advisory committee rep ●​ PlanBTV mobility: Visioning workshops scheduled 2. Updates on Current Demonstration Projects and Ordinance Updates -​ Demonstration Project - North Ave Protected Bike Lanes -​ October 19th - October 26th -​ We are at the public engagement stage at this point, having made it through Application Phases 1 & 2 -​ We need volunteers to support the “traffic studies”, install, maintenance, and break-down -​ Demonstration Project - Bike Corrals -​ This has stalled because the city does not have the equipment available, we’ll need to find it elsewhere -​ Phillip mentioned the Farmer’s Market racks, which are “wheelbender” racks -​ Ordinances -​ Erik: BWBC proposed a few changes to the bicycle and pedestrian ordinances a couple years ago. The DPW is currently bringing a more limited proposal that is mostly redefining terms and “what can ride where” in order to ensure that the Main Street path (near Church Street) can be used as intended. BWBC and Local Motion met with DPW last week to discuss their proposal and provide comments, and the discussion became somewhat heated. -​ Phillip said that the proposal is a legal document and has been reviewed by lawyers already. Suggested that BWBC’s recommendations are “fast and loose” and not viable to be incorporated quickly. 3. BWBC Priorities for coming year -​ Cindy - Wants to work with the council to do an education campaign on bicycles going too fast on the bike path and sidewalks, motorized and non-motorized. -​ Ellery - In California (where he had previously lived), there was a group that was responsible for trail maintenance. The program was successful because it had strong support from City representatives to support the work and provide structure/direction. Greenway has overgrowth along the train tracks in the Lakeside neighborhood. He wants to know if there is appetite for a volunteer program that would maintain trails or bike paths in Burlington. Trimming overgrowth, picking up trash, such and such. -​ Phillip: We could talk to DJ at Parks to see how we can help. -​ Erik: There is overgrowth along sidewalks, too. -​ Phillip: Alice Schwenke would be the contact for that, but this is a more difficult place to do work because it is more directly connected to private property. -​ Phillip: Plenty of meetings that need to be supported by advocates. Supporting small projects that face backlash in local meetings we should show up en masse (or even just a little). Both project meetings and regular meetings of commissions -​ Gordon & Nolan: Mentioned that showing up is a good goal, but there are some gaps in knowing what meetings need to be supported, or even exist. -​ Bob: South End Art Hop seemed like it had a thousands bikes with the street closure. London transit strike led to more people biking. People don’t see streets as safe but do it for events. -​ Jack: More block parties that can show active transportation. We need to find ways to support Block Parties, and maybe have a designation for 2 weekends that bookend “Summer”, or micro-grants could be a great way to foster this. -​ Jak: We should consider formalizing. We exist between a grass-roots advocacy group and an official advisory committee for the City. Have no teeth as advisors but less effective than full volunteer organization. Formalization needs a lot of work, and it is unclear what that means. Maybe we keep watch over the work of the walk/bike plan. -​ Jason Stuffle: The timeline of advocacy in transportation is glacial. Work that shows progress in a short time-line is better to engage people. Also group bike rides, walking events -​ Gordon: Don’t see choice between formalization and disbanding - sees attendance growing. Also thinks formalization could be good - South Burlington BPC has 10 members with staggered terms, has some greater influence in DRB and CIP work, and help direct the Penny for Paths fund. -​ Gabe strongly supports formalization. -​ Nolan strongly supports formalization. SB BPC have more people, including a City Council member. Also shouts out Bike Park at Leddy. We’ve had a small group talking about the bike-ped bridge. It’s really important to get in on the beginning of all of the Scoping Studies along the Route 2 corridor—need institutional support (such as via DPW, CCRPC, SB DPW, VTrans). Need DPW to be liaison that allows us to engage in connecting all three projects (Main St., Bike/Ped Bridge, South Burlington) -​ Phillip: Main St scoping study -​ Jack said that Burlington is in the grace period for a Bicycle Friendly Community award, and the BWBC could do the work to complete the application. Currently in Silver (South Burlington is Bronze) -​ Jak questions if the juice is worth the squeeze. -​ Nolan: we’ve done a lot, but with Local Motion also how much of what’s happened would have happened anyway without BWBC? -​ Gordon: probably helped improve some projects even if they would have happened without BWBC -​ Summary of ideas so far: -​ Education on sidewalk safety -​ Trail maintenance, etc. -​ Going to other meetings to support projects -​ Connecting with other committees -​ Formalization -​ Block party events -​ Nolan: BED had an EV event - what about an e-bike event? -​ Jack: maybe we should be tabling at more events/e-bike demos. -​ Maybe an alternative transportation festival - active transportation, vendors -​ Jak: VPOP put together a car-free day. They just did the thing. We (advocates) would benefit from a formal channel in the City to have more legitimate influence in the City—that should be BWBC. Other stuff can happen in other groups; trying to do it in BWBC may be diffusive of energy. There is a bit of harm to have grass-roots energy be funneled into this, because it could go to more direct outcomes with an actual grass-roots group. Building engagement may not be as important as focusing on our role. -​ Erik: We didn’t talk about demonstration projects. Interested to see how this North Ave project goes, but more focused on the process. -​ Philip: How would you formalize, what would that look like? -​ Erik: BWBC as it exists now (not formalized) can assess and work on more demonstration projects (and streamlining the process). A focus should be on traffic calming in general. -​ Serrill: Will email DPW about sharrows on East Ave, and generally about annual painting projects. -​ Bob: Center of cities in the UK are walkable. What is the City's goal for expanding the pedestrian network downtown/elsewhere? One more block south on Church St would be great. In Rome, the city is shut down one city per month. -​ Jak: Worthy advocacy, but not within the scope of BWBC. Traffic calming is good, but also wants focus on connectivity of networks for both walking and biking. Connectivity is biggest failing -​ Nolan: Goal connecting downtown to UVM with car-free space - maybe demonstration project on College St. -​ Jason Segelman: Trend that is making Burlington better for pedestrians but harder for bikes: curb extensions. Names Pearl & Elmwood, Pine & King, Pine & Main, Pine & Main Meeting adjourned at 7:00 PM