All in transit
Tune in for a conversation between Liam Johnson and Julia Lenz on using sustainable transportation systems in Burlington as a college student. Liam is a sophomore majoring in political science here at UVM, and is minoring in public policy analysis. Julia is a sophomore at UVM, and an intern with the Communities of Practice: Sustainable Transportation program at UVM.
As an American, living in cities that prioritize cars over pedestrians and cyclists is a normal occurrence. During the early spring of 2020, I was studying abroad in Freiburg, Germany, which was one of the first parts of the country designed to promote walking, biking, and transit systems. It didn’t take me long to notice the major transportation differences between there and America.
I never once used an automobile during my time abroad. There was a direct train to Freiburg that took me to the city center. From the station, I was able to jump on a tram which then brought me to my apartment about 15 minutes outside of the city. This experience made me realize how advanced and convenient a transportation system could be.
This summer, Burlington is set to have a convenient new way to get to New York City. The Ethan Allen Express railway will extend from Rutland, its current northernmost destination, through Middlebury and Vergennes, onto Burlington.
The train is on schedule to roll into Burlington’s Union Station in July 2022. A date can’t be set yet due to unpredictable weather patterns and spring thawing. “We can’t control Mother Nature,” said Dan Delabruere, Bureau Director of Rail and Aviation at the Vermont Agency of Transportation.
It takes 5 ½ hours to get from Rutland to New York City. The train ride from Burlington to New York is likely to take 8 hours, according to Delabruere.
Krista Hasert is a car-lite Vermonter. While she hasn’t owned a car for some time, and her everyday activities are all carried out via foot, bicycle, or bus, Krista has found a creative way of ensuring that she has access to a vehicle in the moments when a car is what she really wants as a mode of travel: a CarShare Vermont membership.
When Ginny and Laura Brooke moved to Montpelier a few years ago, they had two old cars that were falling apart. They’d been discussing the possibility of downsizing to just one car in an effort to reduce their carbon footprint (as well as to reduce the amount of money they’d been spending on repairs), only to have one of the cars abruptly die.
Curt McCormack is someone who walks the talk. He’s also someone who bicycles, carpools, and Amtraks the talk.
