The Vital Communities Transportation Program works with employers, municipalities, school districts, and regional planning commissions to improve transportation options and reduce reliance on driving alone.

Getting Around

The Upper Valley offers great commuting opportunities with transit, carpools, biking, walking, and telecommuting.

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Communities

We work with towns, schools, and community organizations to lower residents’ transportation costs.

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Workplaces

Smart Commute helps Upper Valley employers lower the costs of commuting to work.

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VTEN

The Vermont Transportation Efficiency Network (VTEN) is a group of providers, planners, and advocates who gather to reduce the costs and environmental impacts of our transportation system.

Learn More >

Commuter
Calculator

Toolkit
For Town
Volunteers

Toolkit

In Vermont and New Hampshire, transportation is the largest single source of greenhouse gases.

This toolkit is for community volunteers who would like to locally tackle the climate impacts of our car-centered transportation system.

What's Happening

WAY TO GO! SPRING CHALLENGE

JOIN THE CHALLENGE MAY 1-16 AND BE ENTERED TO WIN PRIZES! Spring is here, so it’s a great time to Get Up and Go! Take the challenge to walk, bike, [...]

Launching Year 2 of the Upper Valley E-Bike Library!

Do you wish biking was part of your life? E-bikes can greatly increase that possibility. E-bikes (electric bikes) are like regular bikes but with an e [...]

NH Route 120 Improvements Near Exit 18

The New Hampshire Department of Transportation (NHDOT) has recently begun a project to study multi-modal improvements to NH Route 120 from Hanover Str [...]

Farm-Way gift cards, fat bikes, and YOU!

Whether you live in Vermont or New Hampshire, grab your bike, sneakers, or boots and join Vital Communities, Local Motion, and Go! Vermont for the 202 [...]

Love your bike ride, even in cold weather

We (Bethany and Mike from the Transportation team) are still riding our bikes these cold dark days, because it keeps us healthy and relieves anxiety! [...]

One stop shop for VT green transportation news!

Some of our friends in Burlington have put together a super cool online resource called Vermont Goes Green for everything related to green transportat [...]

Fall 2020 Transit Updates!

Just in time for fall and back-to-school, there are some exciting transit updates from both sides of the river! Tri-Valley Transit (formerly Stagec [...]

How to Commute Safely During the Pandemic

Even with the need for physical distancing and many people working from home, transit and carpooling are available for those who need them. Here is so [...]

Safe Routes to School During Pandemic

School reopening is the big topic right now: how to do it safely, effectively, and efficiently. New requirements for health checks, physical distancin [...]

Bike & Walk Funding Available in Vermont!

Are you a Vermonter who would like to see better bike and pedestrian infrastructure in your town? Funding for this is available through the VTrans Bic [...]

Find Open Local Businesses and Farms. Search the Vital Communities Guide.

Upper Valley Transportation Management Association (UVTMA)

We convene the Upper Valley Transportation Management Association (UVTMA), a membership-based group of workplaces, transportation providers, municipalities, and planners. Dues-paying members are eligible for customized programs and services for their town or workplace.

Join us to help solve the transportation challenges affecting the Upper Valley. E-mail Bethany to learn more about becoming a UVTMA member.

UVTMA Steering Committee

Dartmouth-Hitchcock: Tom Carlson
Norwich: Susan Hardy
Lebanon: Rebecca Owens
Hartford: Matt Osborn
Dartmouth College: Patrick O’Neill
Upper Valley Business Alliance: Jay Simms

Lyme: Daniel Brand
New England Transportation Institute: Matthew Coogan
Hanover Bicycle/Pedestrian Committee: Scot Drysdale
Co-op Food Stores: Allan Reetz

Advance Transit: Van Chesnut
Resource Systems Group: Ben Swanson
At Large: Patricia Higgins
Hypertherm: John Rooney
vBike, Hartland Energy Committee & Upper Valley Sierra Club: Karl Kemnitzer

UVLSRPC: Meghan Butts, Chair
TRORC: Rita Seto
SWCRPC: Jason Rasmussen
Southwestern Community Services: Teri Palmer
Tri-Valley Transit: Mike Reiderer
Vital Communities: Bethany Fleishman & Mike Kiess

UVTMA Members

Calendar

	April 2021
				1	2	3
4	5	6	7	8 Investing in Home Creation in Your Community Investing in Home Creation in Your Community Starts: 9:30 pm Ends: April 8, 2021 - 10:30 pm Description: The Upper Valley faces a shortage of housing, particularly in the lower-cost sector, that's affecting our ability to be a vibrant, equitable community. Learn how even small investments can help address this shortage and bring about financial, social, and environmental rewards: more diverse, full-service communities, more homes closer to workplaces and served by mass transit, and a more stable workforce for employers. Register for this free forum: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZUscuyrqDwtH9UZ5_zBTBBYm0LQjC9p5Drw More details... •	9	10
11	12	13	14 Leadership Upper Valley Session Leadership Upper Valley Session Starts: 12:00 am Ends: April 14, 2021 - 11:59 pm More details... •	15 Putting Your Money to Work Locally: Investment Club 101 Putting Your Money to Work Locally: Investment Club 101 Starts: 9:30 pm Ends: April 15, 2021 - 10:30 pm Description: Interested in investing locally but don’t want to do it alone? Investment clubs pool money to collectively invest in local businesses and bring a social aspect to the process – they make investment fun! Join Matt Cropp from the Vermont Solidarity Investment Club to learn the ins and outs of starting your own investment club, as well as some ideas about what to look for if you want to join an established club. Free and open to all. Register: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZ0vcOGurTIiGt1DfW4ezCpHPEMRHsQ_yyfL More details... •	16	17
18	19	20	21	22 UVTMA Monthly Meeting - REMOTE UVTMA Monthly Meeting - REMOTE Starts: 8:00 pm Ends: April 22, 2021 - 9:30 pm Location: By video conference Description: This is the meeting of the Upper Valley Transportation Management Association. For spring 2020 and until further notice, meetings will be held remotely. More details... •	23	24
25	26	27 Put Your Money to Work Locally: Community Loan Funds 101 Put Your Money to Work Locally: Community Loan Funds 101 Starts: 9:30 pm Ends: April 27, 2021 - 11:00 pm Location: (Zoom Line)-Zoom Line 1 Description: Community loan funds are a home grown solution for investing in our communities, energy independence, and working lands. Join us for a deep dive into impact investing with Vermont and New Hampshire community loan funds. Free & open to all. Register: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZEpde-sqzwuGtDKO_j2i4Ksm8p6ZaMII5Ja More details... •	28	29	30

Vital Communities News

Putting Your Money to Work Locally

More Free "Local Investment" Events starting April 8! "Market forces" got you down? Does it seem like Big Finance keeps putting resources toward things that create more environmental damage and human inequality? Maybe it's time you took ...more

April 8: "Investing in Home Creation"

Investing for Home Creation Thursday, April 8, 5:30 pm https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zUwM8Z2FD3Q The Upper Valley faces a shortage of housing, particularly in the lower-cost sector, that's affecting our ability to be a vibrant, equitable community. This session discussed how even ...more

April 15, 2021: “Putting Your Money to Work Locally: Investing Clubs 101”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FnLZ7akjtGw Interested in investing locally but don’t want to do it alone? Investment clubs pool money to collectively invest in local businesses and bring a social aspect to the process – they make investment fun! In this ...more

Valley Quests Open May 1—including a Guided Event to a Vernal Pool!

Mark your calendar for Saturday, May 1: It's a big one for Valley Quests! Not only is May 1 Opening Day for Quests—"treasure hunts" that share the natural and cultural history of 160+ special areas in ...more

Flavors of the Valley 2021: The Fun Goes Digital!

Flavors of the Valley, the Upper Valley's favorite local food tasting expo, will not be stopped this year! We're moving it to May, with a month-long digital celebration of spring, our local farms, local food, ...more

Our 2021 Farm-To-School Mini-Grant Recipients!

Ten Upper Valley schools and day care facilities have been awarded $500 mini-grants to support farm-to-school projects this year! These grants are designed to help schools, afterschool programs, or school-related wellness programs with projects related ...more

Braised Pork + Cabbage: A One-Pot Late Winter Farmers Market Meal

Braised Pork & Cabbage: A One-Pot Late Winter Farmers Market Meal Magazines and radio shows are already gushing about springy greens recipes, but if you’re eating seasonally in the Upper Valley, winter food is still on the table. And ...more

Zucchini Chard Cakes

I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve shared this zucchini chard cake recipe with folks this summer. I was sure that as soon as I mentioned zucchini I would be greeted with a sigh ...more

Creamy Barley Pudding

I always loved rice pudding as a kid, especially when warm off the stove, with a splash of cold milk, some raisins thrown in and cinnamon sprinkled on top. While I could still go for ...more

Have an Idea That Could Use a Lift?

New Hampshire Businesses, Farmers, Entrepreneurs, Nonprofits, Community Initiatives: Do you have an incredible project just waiting to happen? Want to grow your organization, our community, and the local economy, but don’t have access to capital? The Local Crowd ...more

Free Webinar on Writing Waterway Quests, April 8

Valley Quests are treasure hunts set in special locations around the Upper Valley. Each Quest follows a unique set of clues that teach you about a place’s ecology, wildlife, and history while leading to a ...more

Quest to the Star!

Have you seen the star alight upon Mt. Tom in Woodstock? Wouldn't it be fun to see it up close? You can if you follow the clues of the Mt. Tom Quest. The star traditionally ...more

Neighbors Helping Neighbors Save Energy

This week marks the close of Vital Communities and volunteers’ 2020 Vermont Energy Savings project in seven towns in the Vermont side of the Upper Valley. Vital Communities partnered with Sustainable Woodstock (serving Woodstock, Hartland, ...more

Weatherize Webinar, August 17

Weatherize Webinar with NHSaves Monday, August 17 at Noon Did Covid-19 stop your 2020 weatherization plans in their tracks? NOW is the right time to jump back on the weatherize band wagon. Lower energy bills and cozy ...more

Welcome 31 New Upper Valley Change-makers

Vital Communities celebrated the graduation of the Leadership Upper Valley Class of 2020 on Wednesday, June 10. This event marked the program’s 14th graduating class, as 31 local leaders completed the 10-month program with a ...more

Five Inspiring Stories

On March 18, Vital Communities held a webinar featuring five inspiring stories from energy committees across the Upper Valley. Stories included: Electric charging stations in Bethel An Upper Valley eBike lending library Energy saving window ...more

Stand in Your Circle of Strength and Lead

Ed. Note: On May 30, Vital Communities honored 12 community leaders who’ve added immeasurably to the vitality of the Upper Valley at its annual Heroes & Leaders Celebration. The following are the event’s keynote remarks ...more

Heroes & Leaders: Creating a Vital Upper Valley

Every spring, Leadership Upper Valley, a program of Vital Communities, hosts the annual Heroes & Leaders Celebration to recognize individuals who make significant contributions to the Upper Valley. In 2019, we are pleased to honor ...more

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Want more information?

Bethany Fleishman

Transportation Program Manager

Transportation

802-291-9100 x111

email
phone phone

Transportation

— Bethany Fleishman, Transportation Program Manager

Bethany Fleishman was born at the old Mary Hitchcock hospital in Hanover, N.H., grew up in West Hartford, Vt., and now lives in Hartford Village, where she can see the White River and the trains from her window. She has a biology degree from St. Lawrence University and has worked in public health outreach, as a line cook in San Francisco, a pastry chef in Hanover, and as a member of the Town of Hartford Selectboard. She serves on the board of directors for both Advance Transit and Upper Valley CarShare and is a lifelong bike commuter.

	April 2021
Sun	Mon	Tue	Wed	Thu	Fri	Sat
				1	2	3
4	5	6	7	8 Investing in Home Creation in Your Community Investing in Home Creation in Your Community Starts: 9:30 pm Ends: April 8, 2021 - 10:30 pm Description: The Upper Valley faces a shortage of housing, particularly in the lower-cost sector, that's affecting our ability to be a vibrant, equitable community. Learn how even small investments can help address this shortage and bring about financial, social, and environmental rewards: more diverse, full-service communities, more homes closer to workplaces and served by mass transit, and a more stable workforce for employers. Register for this free forum: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZUscuyrqDwtH9UZ5_zBTBBYm0LQjC9p5Drw More details... •	9	10
11	12	13	14 Leadership Upper Valley Session Leadership Upper Valley Session Starts: 12:00 am Ends: April 14, 2021 - 11:59 pm More details... •	15 Putting Your Money to Work Locally: Investment Club 101 Putting Your Money to Work Locally: Investment Club 101 Starts: 9:30 pm Ends: April 15, 2021 - 10:30 pm Description: Interested in investing locally but don’t want to do it alone? Investment clubs pool money to collectively invest in local businesses and bring a social aspect to the process – they make investment fun! Join Matt Cropp from the Vermont Solidarity Investment Club to learn the ins and outs of starting your own investment club, as well as some ideas about what to look for if you want to join an established club. Free and open to all. Register: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZ0vcOGurTIiGt1DfW4ezCpHPEMRHsQ_yyfL More details... •	16	17
18	19	20	21	22 UVTMA Monthly Meeting - REMOTE UVTMA Monthly Meeting - REMOTE Starts: 8:00 pm Ends: April 22, 2021 - 9:30 pm Location: By video conference Description: This is the meeting of the Upper Valley Transportation Management Association. For spring 2020 and until further notice, meetings will be held remotely. More details... •	23	24
25	26	27 Put Your Money to Work Locally: Community Loan Funds 101 Put Your Money to Work Locally: Community Loan Funds 101 Starts: 9:30 pm Ends: April 27, 2021 - 11:00 pm Location: (Zoom Line)-Zoom Line 1 Description: Community loan funds are a home grown solution for investing in our communities, energy independence, and working lands. Join us for a deep dive into impact investing with Vermont and New Hampshire community loan funds. Free & open to all. Register: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZEpde-sqzwuGtDKO_j2i4Ksm8p6ZaMII5Ja More details... •	28	29	30

The Vital Communities Transportation Program works with employers, municipalities, school districts, and regional planning commissions to improve transportation options and reduce reliance on driving alone.

Commuter Calculator

In Vermont and New Hampshire, transportation is the largest single source of greenhouse gases.

This toolkit is for community volunteers who would like to locally tackle the climate impacts of our car-centered transportation system.

What's Happening

Find Open Local Businesses and Farms. Search the Vital Communities Guide.

Upper Valley Transportation Management Association (UVTMA)

UVTMA Steering Committee

UVTMA Members

Greatest Hits

Calendar

April 2021

Photo Gallery

Vital Communities News

Want more information?

Bethany Fleishman

Transportation

— Bethany Fleishman, Transportation Program Manager

Commuter
Calculator