Equity Lanes Ahead: VTrans’ New Direction, One Law Later

The Vermont Agency of Transportation (VTrans) has added a new focus to its mission: equity. Listed alongside road maintenance, planning, and engineering, the agency’s website now names “transportation equity” as part of its work. But some lawmakers and residents are raising questions about what that means—and what it’s costing.

A review of state documents shows that this shift began in earnest with Act 55 of 2021, a transportation bill that included $50,000 for an e-bike incentive equity pilot program. The provision passed unanimously in the Vermont Senate and was signed into law by Governor Phil Scott. Then–Senate President Pro Tem Becca Balint voted in favor of the bill, which included language supporting “equitable access to low- and no-carbon transportation alternatives.”

The pilot program was managed by VEIC (Vermont Energy Investment Corporation), and vouchers of $200–$250 were made available to income-qualified Vermonters to help purchase electric bicycles. Program materials framed the initiative as a climate and equity investment to help expand access to biking as a transportation mode.

There is no public follow-up report from VEIC or VTrans detailing who received the incentives, how the program affected transportation behavior, or whether it achieved its environmental or equity goals. Public testimony and planning documents suggest approximately 200–250 people received vouchers, but no demographic or geographic data has been published.

A Shift in Focus

Since 2021, references to “equity” in state transportation policy have grown. Public input sessions, planning language, and internal training have increasingly centered on climate equity, mobility justice, and non-car alternatives. This focus has drawn criticism from those who argue that traditional road maintenance has suffered in the process.

VTrans has not released a total accounting of how much funding or staff time is currently devoted to transportation equity programs, but the $50,000 e-bike pilot appears to be just one part of a broader shift. For example, the Chittenden County Regional Planning Commission has advocated reallocating road space for “safer” bike and pedestrian travel, often citing equity and climate resilience as primary reasons.

Testimony submitted in 2021 by Karen Yacos of Local Motion stated:

“People are scared to ride their bikes… It’s unsafe. They won’t ride until we fix the roads for bikes.”

That perspective has helped shape policies promoting bike lanes and “complete streets” infrastructure. But critics argue that these design priorities do not reflect the majority of road users.

There has been no public follow-up or outcome study released about how the $50,000 e-bike voucher program performed. The only thing that is known for certain is that Vermont spent taxpayer money to help approximately 200 people purchase electric bikes—with no published data on results, user demographics, or long-term benefit.

Car Size vs. Road Size

Today’s vehicles are taller, longer, and heavier than those of the 1950s. Modern pickup trucks, SUVs, and electric vehicles sit higher off the ground and carry more mass due to added safety features, larger engines, and batteries. But in terms of width—the critical factor for sharing the road—most cars haven’t changed significantly.

For example:

A 1955 Chevy Bel Air was 79.6 inches wide.
A 2023 Honda Accord is 73.3 inches.
A 2023 Ford F-150, one of the widest mainstream trucks today, is 79.9 inches.

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Even heavy-duty trucks like the GMC Sierra HD top out around 81.2 inches—within an inch or two of many large sedans from the 1950s and ’60s. So while today’s vehicles may feel bulkier, the physical lane footprint hasn’t changed much at all.

Meanwhile, “road diets”—where two travel lanes are reduced to one, with a center turn lane and bike lanes added—have become common in transportation planning. These designs are intended to improve safety and encourage non-car travel, but they remain controversial.

Opponents argue that such projects create congestion, reduce visibility, and restrict space for plows, delivery trucks, and farm equipment. There’s also growing concern that spending on alternative infrastructure is not being matched by usage.

According to the U.S. Census, more than 85% of Vermonters commute by personal vehicle, while less than 1% commute by bicycle. Yet planning documents submitted by advocacy groups and regional planning commissions call for continued investment in biking infrastructure to advance “transportation equity.”

Lack of Cost Analysis

It remains unclear how much Vermont is currently spending per bicyclist compared to per driver. VTrans has not published a cost-per-user breakdown of its infrastructure spending, nor has it provided metrics tying equity-based programs to road condition improvements.

Meanwhile, rural towns continue to delay paving projects, and bridge maintenance remains backlogged. Potholes and frost damage are widespread, particularly on high-use corridors such as Route 7. Some portions of Route 7 have been widened and improved in recent decades, but in many other locations, road surfaces are deteriorating.

Looking Ahead

As federal and state transportation policies increasingly emphasize equity and climate goals, some Vermonters are asking whether the core mission of VTrans—maintaining safe, usable roads for all—is getting the attention and funding it requires.

Lawmakers who supported Act 55, including now-Congresswoman Becca Balint, have defended the e-bike and equity provisions as part of a broader strategy to modernize transportation systems and reduce emissions. But critics argue that these efforts have lacked transparency, oversight, and performance data, and that VTrans should return its primary focus to road and bridge repair.

With Vermont’s transportation budget under strain and its roads showing visible signs of wear, the debate over how far equity should go in shaping transportation policy is likely to continue.

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Dave Soulia | FYIVT

#fyivt #VermontRoads #TransportationEquity #TaxpayerDollars

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