FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 8, 2015
Contacts: Emma Allen, Parks, Recreation & Waterfront, 802.881.7767
Nicole Losch, Department of Public Works, 802.865.5833
City of Burlington Hosts Open Streets BTV and Demonstration of Innovative Walk-Bike Infrastructure
Open Streets BTV to Take Place in the Old North End;
Infrastructure Demonstration Projects in the Old North End and on Pine Street
Burlington, VT – The City of Burlington is pleased to host the second annual Open Streets BTV, presented by Vanasse Hangen Brustlin (VHB) and in partnership with Local Motion and the Burlington Walk/Bike Council. Open Streets BTV is a celebration of Burlington's largest—and least appreciated—public spaces: our streets! Open Streets BTV temporarily closes selected streets to cars and opens them to walking, biking, and socializing.
In conjunction with Open Streets BTV, the Burlington Department of Public Works is organizing two “pop-up” demonstration projects that showcase strategies for making streets safer for walking and biking. These demonstrations are part of planBTV Walk Bike, a City-wide planning effort to increase active mobility and enhance walking and biking safety in Burlington. The demonstration projects include several blocks of protected bike lanes and neighborhood bikeways in the Old North End, as well as enhanced crosswalks and an in-street “parklet” on Pine Street.
“My Administration is focused on making Burlington even better and safer for pedestrians and bikers than it is today,” said Mayor Miro Weinberger. “This year’s Open Streets BTV, along with pop-up protected bike lanes and pedestrian improvements, give us the opportunity to explore how to make the greatest progress towards this goal. All are welcome and encouraged to participate in this weekend’s walk- and bike-friendly activities.”
Open Streets BTV will take place on Sunday, September 13 from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm. Burlington residents and visitors alike are invited to celebrate the vibrant and eclectic Old North End, a neighborhood with community spirit, artists, remodeled parks, tree-lined streets, and successful magnet schools. By temporarily closing selected streets to cars, Open Streets BTV will transform several Old North End streets into vibrant public spaces. The event will create places to mingle, play, and shop, all while promoting healthy living and active transportation. People of all ages will have the chance to travel several miles of neighborhood streets in a safe, car-free environment, enjoying fun and healthy activities such as outdoor yoga, bike skills training, and participatory street art along the way. For more information about Open Streets BTV, please visit http://openstreetsbtv.com/.
Two planBTV Walk Bike “pop-up” demonstration projects will occur in conjunction with the South End Art Hop and Open Streets BTV events already taking place in Burlington throughout the course of the September 11-13 weekend. The first pop-up is focused on improved pedestrian infrastructure on Pine Street at the Kilburn intersection. This project will swap a parking space for a space to sit and socialize, and curb extensions at the adjacent crosswalk to reduce pedestrian crossing distances and improve pedestrians’ visibility.
The second pop-up will create temporary protected bike lanes on several streets adjacent to the planned Open Streets BTV route. Protected bike lanes create a barrier between bikes and motor vehicle traffic, which is more inviting for a much broader range of people to bike. The pop-up will include Burlington’s first parking-protected bike lane – along one block of North Winooski Avenue, a neighborhood greenway on Grant Street, and a planter-protected bicycle lane on North Union Street. For more information about these two pop-ups, please visit http://www.planbtvwalkbike.org/get-involved/september-demonstration-projects/.
All are welcome to come enjoy outdoor exercise, street art and crafts, contra dancing, local musicians, hula hooping, helmet decorating, unicycle lessons, face painting, wheelie contests, and travel over two miles of car-free streets at Open Streets BTV, as well as both of the pop-up demonstrations taking place over the weekend. Bring your bike, scooter, skateboard, roller skates, or just yourself – and your family and friends!
For continually updated Open Streets BTV information, please visit the Facebook event page: www.facebook.com/openstreetsbtv.
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