RESOLUTION OF THE CHITTENDEN COUNTY METROPOLITAN PLANNING ORGANIZATION AFFIRMING RAIL PROJECTS FOR CHITTENDEN COUNTY

WHEREAS, the Chittenden County Metropolitan Planning organization (CCMPO), which was designated by the Governor of Vermont to meet the requirements of federal transportation laws, is responsible for managing the continuous, cooperative and comprehensive Transportation Planning process in Chittenden County; and

WHEREAS, the Chittenden County Freight Stakeholders Forum in August 2000 recommended shifting the Burlington Railyard to a more accessible location and expand its facilities; and

WHEREAS, the Chittenden County Freight Stakeholders Forum recommended identifying and developing sites for transload and container ramp facilities; and

WHEREAS, the CCMPO Board accepted the Chittenden County Regional Freight Study, February 2001 which outlined a number of proposals for the movement of freight, including rail infrastructure; and

WHEREAS, the Chittenden County Regional Freight Study and the 2025 Metropolitan Transportation Plan (MTP) affirm that Chittenden County has a demand for a number of transload facilities for the transfer of bulk commodities between truck and rail; and

WHEREAS, the State of Vermont's Rail Policy Plan calls for promoting and facilitation of freight projects on an interstate basis (particularly intermodal services) where a resultant increase in overhead traffic and revenues for Vermont rail lines can be identified; and

WHEREAS, the truck network in Vermont is inadequate for 53 foot and double 28 foot trailer operations, which limits access to Chittenden County and the surrounding economic region and hurts this region as national carriers move toward larger trailers and the use of multiple trailer sets; and

WHEREAS, Vermont does not have a truck/rail intermodal ramp; and

WHEREAS, US 7 and VT 22A are insufficient as a North/South highway in Western Vermont; and

WHEREAS, there are marginal highway connections to the State of New York from Vermont; and

WHEREAS, rail freight represents only 8% of the freight tonnage in Vermont; and

WHEREAS, on March 20, 2002, the CCMPO Board by resolution amended the Metropolitan Transportation Plan to include the purchase of the rail line from College Street in Burlington to Essex Junction for commuter rail, intercity rail and freight movement; and

WHEREAS, in July of 2002, the CCMPO Board added $4.8 million in federal funds to the FY02-04 Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) representing congressional earmarks for the Burlington to Essex Commuter Rail Project, now known as the Route 15 Corridor Study, to be used for acquisition of the operating rights and Right of Way (ROW) as a atop priority for the region and this funding is still contained in the current TIP; and

WHEREAS, Senators Jeffords and Leahy have committed to including in the Transportation Appropriation Act for 2005 the combining of various rail earmarks under the current authority of the Federal Transit Administration (FTA), transferring them to the Federal Rail Administration (FRA), and extending the Albany, Bennington, Rutland, & Burlington (ABRB) project to Essex Junction;

NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT:

The Chittenden County Metropolitan Planning Organization affirms that it is our interest to pursue a program of integrated intermodal projects in order to improve transportation through to, and within Chittenden County in order to reduce the negative impacts of increased highway traffic, to support effective economic development, to improve our quality of life, and save those things which makes living in Vermont so precious to us by implementing the following:

1. The top rail priority of CCMPO is for the State of Vermont to purchase the Burlington To Essex rail line Right-Of-Way from the Burlington Railyard to the Essex Depot;

2. The second priority is to examine the feasibility for development of a Rail Transload intermodal freight facility within Chittenden County;

3. Expedite the project to provide Amtrak service between New York City, Albany, Bennington, Rutland, & Burlington (ABRB) along the western corridor of Vermont;

4. Developing a passenger multimodal terminal for rail and bus service along the VT Route 15 Corridor;

5. To reexamine the relocation of the Burlington Rail Yard from the Burlington Waterfront;

6. To enter in discussion with the operating railroads within Chittenden County to initiate shared use of existing rail right of ways;

7. Facilitate and foster support for multimodal passenger and freight transportation along Vermont's strategic Western Corridor;

8. Improve rail freight utilization;

9. Encourage adoption of new financing strategies to leverage federal, state, local, and private investment in (rail and truck) freight transportation gateways;

10. Strategically increase economic efficiency and support economic development along rail lines; and

11. Provide flexibility between modes, creating strategic redundancies whilst streamlining capital investment.

Dated this 17th day of November, 2004 in South Burlington, Vermont.
Chittenden County Metropolitan Planning Organization

ROBERT H. PENNIMAN, CHAIR

For further information, contact Daryl Benoit at 802.660.4071 x12.