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South Burlington, VT - Chittenden County’s transportation
program for the next three years will be the subject of a public
hearing on August 20 at 7 p.m. before the board of the Chittenden
County Metropolitan Planning Organization (CCMPO).
The Transportation Improvement Plan (TIP) is a multi-year list
of federally funded, multi-modal transportation projects and operations
in Chittenden County. The TIP allows the CCMPO to obligate federal
funds for listed projects. Items in the 2004-2006 TIP include
bicycle/pedestrian improvements in Essex and Hinesburg, Winooski
downtown redevelopment, Circumferential Highway construction,
Chittenden County Transportation Authority (CCTA) alternative
fuel buses and facility, and bridge reconstruction projects on
Lime Kiln Road in South Burlington, Bostwick Road in Shelburne
and East Street in Huntington.
In the 2004-2006 TIP, there is a 58% allocation for capacity expansion.
According to CCMPO Executive Director Bill Knight, many projects
that have been delayed over the past decadeæ Champlain Parkway
(Southern Connector) construction, Shelburne Road reconstruction,
and Circumferential Highway constructionæ are due for construction
during this period. The result is a higher percentage of funds
than usual obligated to road construction.
Long-term spending trends reflect an effort to commit money to
all kinds of transportation needs, Knight said. Since 1995, funds
spent in other categories such as bridge preservation, bicycle/pedestrian
improvements, function and performance preservation, and transit,
have kept pace with the funds spent on capacity expansion.
A public hearing will also be held on the organization's Public
Improvement Plan. This document details the strategies and efforts
the CCMPO will utilize to solicit public involvement in its projects.
The meeting will be held at South Burlington City Hall, 575 Dorset
Street at 7 p.m. Meetings are open to the public. For more information,
call the CCMPO at 660-4071 ext. 223.
Transportation Improvement Plan Fact Sheet
- The Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) is a prioritized,
fiscally constrained, multi-year list of federally funded, multi-modal
transportation projects and operations in Chittenden County.
- The TIP is a three-year program, updated every year. It contains
only projects that have identified funding sources.
- The TIP authorizes the implementing agency to obligate federal
funds for listed projects.
- Funds are divided among several categories, including: bridge
preservation, transit, bike/ pedestrian, function and performance
preservation (maintenance to enhance existing systems, such
as paving, and traffic signal projects) and capacity expansion
(building new roads or widening existing roads).
- In the FY 2004-2006 TIP, there is a 58% allocation for capacity
expansion. The capacity expansion allocation is higher than
usual because many projectsæ Champlain Parkway (Southern
Connector) construction, Shelburne Road reconstruction, Kennedy
Drive reconstruction, and Circumferential Highway constructionæ
have been delayed for a number of years and are all due for
completion at the same time.
- A long-term look at the TIP gives a more accurate view of
the relative proportions of spending among the categories. From
1995-2002, 21% of funds were obligated for capacity expansion
23% of funds obligated for transit. Function and performance
preservation received 19% of funds and bridge preservation received
19% of funds.
Projects in the 2004-2006 TIP, including those listed above,
include:
- Winooski downtown redevelopment
- Bridge replacement projects including Lime Kiln Road, South
Burlington, Bostwick Road, Shelburne and East Street, Huntington
- Bicycle/Pedestrian improvements in Essex and Hinesburg
- Regional traffic signal optimization to improve traffic flow
- CCTA alternative fuel buses and facility
- CCTA interregional bus service
- Federal support of CCTA and SSTA (Special Services Transportation
Agency) operations
- Williston park and ride facility
- I-89 projects including Bolton Bridge replacement and studies
to evaluate improvements at exits 12 and 14, and a possible
new exit at Hinesburg Road (exit 12B)
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