LVRT News

Fundraising Committee Chair, Ken Hoeppner, and VAST Executive Director, Alexis Nelson, recently appeared on WCAX’s “Across The Fence” to talk about the LVRT. The program started out by airing our film (viewable here on the home page at lvrt.org), followed by the interview with Ken and Alexis. If you missed the show, you can watch the interview here. (more…)

The Lamoille County Planning Commission (LCPC) has been awarded a $249,982 grant from the Northern Border Regional Commission to support trail access for the Lamoille Valley Rail Trail (LVRT) in Lamoille County. The grant will be used to construct trailheads in Cambridge, Johnson, Hyde Park, Morristown and Wolcott. (more…)

After a year- long process of public hearings, securing a multitude of ANR permits and deliberation of the District 7 Commission, co-applicants VAST and VTrans have received the Act 250 permit for Phase I construction of the four season multiple use recreation trail, also known as the Lamoille Valley Rail Trail.  This includes the construction of 44 miles of trail during this phase. (more…)

The final steps for Phase “A” engineering are nearing completion. 25% Conceptual Plans have been completed and submitted to VTrans for approval. (more…)

reprinted from Seven Days

By Ken Picard 9.01.2010

Hikers, bikers, snowmobilers, and cross-country skiers won’t be hitting the Lamoille Valley Rail Trail (LVRT) anytime soon. An environmental-court judge has ruled that the proposed rail-trail project, a year-round recreational corridor that would extend from Swanton to St. Johnsbury, must first undergo an Act 250 review before any construction can begin. (more…)

Aired by WPTZ-TV5 President/General Manager, Paul A. Sands

The little track that coulda…should!

An old railroad bed runs from St. J to Swanton. Volunteers have raised money and secured permits to repair and maintain this scenic stretch for recreation, and to preserve an important span of Vermont’s history.

It’s the Lamoille Valley Rail Trail, and it’s a great idea that should come to be. Unfortunately, it’s being held up by the narrow interests of a dozen homeowners. They say the trail should go (more…)

reprinted from Stowe Reporter

By Jesse Roman 6.10.2010

The Lamoille Valley Rail Trail project sounds great on paper. The problem is, the 96-mile recreation path traversing northern Vermont, from St. Johnsbury to Swanton, may never become a reality, project organizers say.

Legal bills are mounting, and patience is running thin on what has been a multiyear, labor-intensive endeavor. (more…)

The League of American Bicyclists (LAB) recently announced its rankings of “bicycle friendliness” for all 50 states.  Vermont was ranked at 34, a significant drop from its 2009 ranking of 21.  In 2008, the first year of the LAB rankings, Vermont was 17.

So, 17 to 21 to 34.  Vermont is dropping precipitously.  A primary reason for this rapid and abrupt decline is that other states are moving ahead with bike/ped friendly infrastructure, policies, and legislation while Vermont stands still. (more…)

reprinted from Seven Days – Local Matters

By Ken Picard [04.28.10]

For more than a decade, outdoor enthusiasts have gazed longingly at the former railroad line that runs between Swanton and St. Johnsbury, contemplating its enormous recreational potential.

The 93.2-mile railbed, which is currently owned by the state, traverses scenic stretches of three counties and 20 municipalities in Vermont’s northern tier. It also intersects several existing recreational trails, including the 26-mile Missisquoi Valley Rail Trail at Sheldon Junction. Once completed, the Lamoille Valley Rail Trail, as it’s called, would become New England’s longest year-round recreational trail and the “backbone” for a network of trails statewide. (more…)