Pedestrian safety has been a long-time priority in the Mad River Valley and included in several recent planning initiatives and town projects, such as the Waitsfield sidewalk project (in progress), the MRV Moves Plan (2016), and the Vermont Downtown Action Team (V-DAT) reports completed for Waitsfield and Warren (2014).
MRV TAC began a "Share the Road" educational campaign in 2020 in response to increased usage of the Valley's rural roads. The focus shifted to "downtown" roads following the tragic pedestrian accident in Waitsfield in October 2020. Recent work by MRV TAC has included:
- Organizing a presentation and discussion of pedestrian safety improvement opportunities with representatives from Local Motion, VTrans and the Town of Waitsfield;
- Forming a Pedestrian Safety Sub-Committee to disseminate public information and support the Town of Waitsfield's efforts to implement improvements; and,
- On-going conversations with various stakeholders to support collective dialogue and action.
Mad River Valley Bus pick up.
MRV TAC works with Green Mountain Transit (GMT) and Sugarbush Resort each year to support and improve GMT's seasonal MRV Bus service. In the 2018-19 season, the MRV Bus provided over 51,000 rides to the mountain and around the Valley!
In an effort to improve service for community members and reduce costs, MRV TAC members pursued a new Valley Floor bus route for the 2019-20 season; the new route adds stops across for the MRV Senior Center, drives through the MRV Green Shopping Center, and ends at the MRV Health Center. We hope you’ll try it out and let us know what you think.
In winter 2018-2019, MRV TAC members and stakeholders organized a MRV Transportation Survey to analyze transportation needs of older and lower-income Valley residents.
Many survey respondents expressed interest in bus access to the grocery store, local shops, and Evergreen Place. This information resulted in:
- A change to the Valley Floor route of the MRV Bus for the 2019/2020 service, providing door-to-door service for Evergreen Place residents to MRV shops and Health Center; and,
- A subgroup of MRV stakeholders, resulting in the creation of the MRV Free Wheelin' program, a volunteer-driven transit service for seniors and others with limited mobility in the Valley.
In response to the question of what would make respondents more likely to ride the seasonal MRV bus:
- 49% suggested making bus schedules more widely available;
- 63% said additional service to/from locations outside of the MRV; and,
- 66% said new bus stops.
88% of respondents who were willing to take the bus stated they would be interested in year-round service.
While the MRV TAC has historically focused on the community bus service, its efforts have expanded in recent years to increase transportation alternatives, including non-motorized transportation.
In 2016 a collaborative effort led by MRVPD resulted in the MRV Moves Active Transportation Plan, which provides the framework for a consistent, cohesive and connected regional system of trails, roads and sidewalks that provide a range of transportation options and recreational experiences for all user groups in the MRV. The MRV TAC supports efforts to implement the action steps identified in the MRV Moves Plan, including the MRV Unified Trailhead Kiosk Project.
