Burlington Walk Bike Council — Burlington, VT
Date: 2025-07-02
Time: 17:30

AGENDA - Burlington Walk / Bike Council
 July 2nd, 2025, Wednesday 5:30 – 7:00 pm
MEETING OPTIONS:
 1. In-person - DPW conference room at 645 Pine Street, Burlington
 2. Virtually - using Zoom:
 https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88225473951?pwd=YzFFQ1Q3Y3J4bzcwR2VNYWRFWnhtUT0
 9 Passcode: 091788

AGENDA:

1. Announcements and Updates (10 min)

2. Pedestrian Pilot Project on Green Acres Drive (30 min)
We’ll get a presentation from DPW on their proposed Pedestrian Pilot Project on Green Acres
Drive, followed by discussion.

3. Demonstration Projects (30 min)
Following up on the discussion from last month, we’ll decide which potential projects we’d like
to propose. Currently being considered are protected bike lanes on North Ave, improvements
to the ped crossing on North Ave at Ethan Allen shopping center, installing bike corrals in
parking spots reserved for taxis downtown, mini-protected bike lanes at an intersection TBD,
and removing the northbound slip lane at S. Union and St. Paul.

4. NACTO Membership for Burlington (20 min)
We’ll talk with DPW about the merits and possibilities for Burlington becoming an Affiliate
Member of NACTO (National Association of City Transportation Officials), which promotes
sustainable and equitable transportation practices.

Previous Meeting – At the June 2nd, 2025 meeting, we discussed how the demonstration project
program works, and ideas for projects we might propose. We also decided to have a group bike ride
and regional meetup on Aug 6 in place of our regular meeting, and got an update on plans for an
Open Streets event in September.

Next Month: Instead of our regular meeting, BWBC will host a group bike ride and Regional Advocates Meet Up on
Wednesday, August 6th, 2025, 5:30 – 7:30 pm

The BWBC is an all-volunteer advisory council to the City of Burlington. We work closely with and advise the Department of
Public Works and the Department of Parks, Recreation, & Waterfront on infrastructure improvements and policy changes for
walking and bicycling. The council also leads advocacy efforts and organizes events and activities that promote and
celebrate walking and biking in Burlington and beyond. See BWBC Webpage and Meeting Minutes and Agendas

BWBC Coordinating Committee
Erik Brown Brotz,(erik@burlingtontelecom.net), Chair, Jason Stuffle, Jak Tiano, Gordon Dragoon, with Jack Evans (Local Motion)

Burlington Walk Bike Council (BWBC)
 July 2nd, 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*, Gordon Dragoon*, Bob Leidy, Philip Peterson (DPW),
Nolan Rogers, Gabe Nelson, Jack Evans* (Local Motion), Jak Tiano, Rob Lloyd, Cathy
Gidney, Linda Looney, Tim Looney, Marcie Gallagher (Local Motion

Online Attendees: Al Wagener, Ashley Dragoon, Jason Stuffle*, T Simpson

* BWBC Coordinating Committee members


1. Announcements & Updates
 ●​ Bob: Pine St bike path is really well used and it's great to see
 ○​ Loss of City Market pedestrian access is a real negative
 ○​ Philip: Cutting off this conversation; can’t make changes during active demolition
 for next couple for weeks; will look at options for after
 ●​ Nolan: Riverside bike path (& path from UVM green to where it crosses at U Heights)
 has electrical access panels that stick up narrow the bike path, such as near the bus
 stop by car wash.
 ○​ Philip: We should go to Alice Schwencke at DPW on issues like this
 ○​ aschwencke@burlingtonvt.gov
 ●​ Jak: So many small construction impacts, such as leaving cherry pickers on the sidewalk
 ○​ Philip: This is also Alice Schwencke
 ●​ Jack Evans
 ○​ The next BWBC meeting is going to be a special event hosted by Local Motion
 on Wednesday August 6th, 2025 at 5:30 PM at the Local Motion Trailside Center.
 It will invite local and regional advocates to a social bike ride tour of interesting
 infrastructure in Burlington and end with a chance to socialize and discuss priority
 bike connections between communities. While the event is open to the public, it
 will be helpful to RSVP to help Local Motion estimate a headcount.
 ○​ RSVP here:
 https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfRS2b1N11GVLDiH8K6NrW5Y5U4
 4VAEs_biy8K8EsVu4Sy3ug/viewform?usp=header


2. Pedestrian Pilot Project on Green Acres Drive
Phillip presented.
Note: not all public comments were recorded
●​ Have decided to put a pause on the project until next year; by the time it cleared PWC
 and construction began it would be late in summer and would not provide enough useful
 data
●​ Public process is important, but not every project DPW advances is contingent on public
 process
 ○​ Hesitation about professionally developed project being decided based on public
 comment
●​ Will potentially be brought back next summer, with more time to collect data and public
 engagement
●​ Project involves creating a ped walkway on one side of street with cones
●​ This informs the long-term future of the city, setting the stage for sidewalks that will be
 more necessary in the future
●​ Unnamed: Lots of conversations with neighbors on the street. He thinks there is a
 discrepancy between whether the issue is speed/traffic calming or pedestrian & bicycle
 safety.
 ○​ Phillip: The ped lane will also provide traffic calming
●​ Tim: Wouldn’t cars parked on both sides do the same thing?
 ○​ Phillip: Too low parking utilization for it to have a real effect on traffic speeds.
 ○​ Tim: Speed bumps would be better. But you are solving a problem that doesn’t
 exist.
 ○​ Unnamed: People cut through.
 ○​ Gordon: Can we have a modal/local traffic filter?
 ■​ Phillip: That doesn’t fall under the scope of the sidewalk study. Cities
 often just build sidewalks using ROW, no public process. To increase
 connectivity in the neighborhood.
●​ Al: Surveyed neighbors. 90% said they did not want this project; he did not have time to
 ask why but may survey again
 ○​ Phillip: One of the great things about Burlington is that they have sidewalks.
 (there was some disagreement).
●​ Erik: Thinks Phillip is saying that sidewalk connectivity is important for others not just
 residents of the street. ROW belongs to the whole city, not just the people on that street.
 Thinks people here are saying it isn’t “necessary”, but what is the problem with the
 project?.
 ○​ Linda: No problem exists on the street.
●​ Phillip: This is for data. If the pilot shows improvement then may lead to permanent
 sidewalk on road right-of-way (not taking over lawns). If pilot is not successful then will
 not do it.
●​ Tim: Didn’t know the possibility of putting a sidewalk in the street, thought it would have
 to encroach on yards.
●​ Linda: Focus on the entrance and turn in Green Acres, if you are doing this project.
3. Demonstration Projects
Following up on discussion last month. Coordinating committee narrowed down possible
demonstration projects to propose to 5. Jack presented on the projects.

Phillip: We can make signs for the group that say anything, like “This project brought to you by
the BWBC”

North Avenue Protected Bicycle Lanes
Add protection to North Ave bike lanes where there is a buffer zone.
Phillip says this is easy at least on some parts of it


North Avenue - Ethan Allen Shopping Plaza Crosswalks
Improve pedestrian crossing between entrance to shopping center and housing across street.
Phillip says this is more difficult as demonstration project

Comment: Folks are parking on Staniford and then crossing North Ave to go to North End Food
Pantry and attend events at Odd Fellows’ lodge; need crosswalk..
 ●​ Teppy and Zach at the Odd Fellows are heading some stuff at the Odd Fellows, and
 need to get in touch to show them how to do demonstration projects.


Bike corrals in taxi stands downtown
Philip also thinks this is easy
 ●​ Best thing to do might be a “long-term obstruction permit” here
Bob: Nik Anderson at Champlain College provided bike corrals for bike share that is now
defunct; could use some of those


Protected bike infrastructure at N. Winooski/Archibald
Add protection to make bike lanes safer at the intersection. Already have enough space Best
on the North and South sides of the intersection.
Phillip says this is a larger problem


Removal of slip lane on South Union
Remove slip lane leading from St. Paul St north onto S. Union
Nolan: This general contributes to the high speeds of the area
Phillip: Reviewing traffic calming measures on South Union is on the agenda
Phillip wouldn’t think of this as a demonstration project

Agreed to pursue North Ave protected bike lanes and downtown bike corals as demonstration
projects. Erik will contact Phillip to set up additional meetings to follow up.
4. NACTO Membership for Burlington
What does the city think about becoming an associate member of NACTO?
Phillip: We used to be a member of it, but stopped. Costs $10,000 annually; there’s a sentiment
in DPW that it isn’t worth it as the publications are widely available. The city does use the
design guides.Does attend conferences; can still network with others around the country.

Jak: sees it as the city committing to the design principles
 ●​ Great Streets is close, but geographically limited to downtown
Could city commit to the principles without spending the $10k?