BRATTLEBORO — The town is in the process of striping bike lanes onto Western Avenue between its intersections with High Street and Allerton Avenue.
The project is expected to be completed this fall. Drivers should pay attention to the lane shifts and are reminded that no parking is allowed in bicycle lanes, Department of Public Works personnel wrote in a news release.
The department is marking bike lanes, installing signage, and adding new crosswalks on Western Avenue at Greenhill Parkway and on Western Avenue at Green Street. A rectangular rapid-flashing beacon will also be added near Allerton Avenue.
This project started in 2020 with a state-funded scoping study to look at how to provide safe and accessible facilities for bicycles and pedestrians from Exit 2 to Main Street. The Dufresne Group, a consulting engineering firm based in Springfield, was hired to study the road corridor and present design alternatives for improvements, including the addition of bicycle lanes.
The gradual transition of the drive lane allows for parking located adjacent to properties that are more likely to use it, the DPW says.
Various public meetings held during this study highlighted the community support for bicycle and pedestrian improvements and gave the public the opportunity to weigh in on the preferred design.
Funding for the project was awarded in 2022 by the Vermont Agency of Transportation Small Scale Bicycle and Pedestrian Grant program.
"This project, along with the new bicycle lanes installed as part of the Route 9 and Route 30 projects undertaken by the state, help to meet the mobility needs of all people, not just vehicles," said Planning Director Sue Fillion, adding that "these bike lanes are consistent with the Walk/Bike Action Plan that was recently completed in 2023."
This Town and Village item was submitted to The Commons.