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greenmtnfiddler t1_j6kqlc9 wrote

What do you see as the most likely upgrade in local resources , to make getting around w/out one's personal vehicle feasible once at your destination?

I can see the ski slopes and major hotels/upscale bnb's/breweries running shuttles, but what about "normal" towns?

Good train platform - to residence - to attractions - to trailheads options don't exist yet on any meaningful, dependable scale - what's being discussed at the planning level?

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DrToadley OP t1_j6ktut0 wrote

Generally, for trains, "if you build it, they will come" seems to apply. In my opinion, improving buses (and mostly making people aware of how and when buses are actually running - most of the problem with buses is the advertising and ease of use) and certainly increasing bike lanes will be the most cost-effective. However, I definitely need to get more involved in the planning aspect!

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Corey307 t1_j6o1h65 wrote

The vast majority of people do not commute my bike and do not want to commute by bike. You would need a robust bus system for this to work we have nothing of the sort plus we have a severe lack of blue-collar labor in this state. You’re talking about needing hundreds of blue-collar workers to drive trains and buses and considering how poor the wages are in the state on average I doubt a lot of people are going to move here to drive a bus.

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DrToadley OP t1_j6oe8nh wrote

Whoa there. My advocacy for scary things like bike lanes and improved bus service does not imply turning Vermont into Amsterdam overnight and forcing everyone to throw their cars out. I just think that providing people with more options, including a modestly improved rail system that doesn't only go to Burlington from New York City, some more bike lanes in town centers, and better-advertised buses would be worth looking into.

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Corey307 t1_j6oqfk7 wrote

Except you’re not, you’re talking about building a great deal of infrastructure which will cost a fortune and not achieve much ridership. The vast majority of people have no interest in traveling by bike and the vast majority of people have no interest in doubling or tripling their daily commute just so they don’t have to drive.

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