Chittenden County I-89 2050 Study

latest news

Website Update | We are currently in the process of transferring all content from Envision89.com to this webpage. Please check back soon for complete information on this study.

Monitoring Committee | The CCRPC is in the process of forming an I-89 Monitoring Committee based on the recommendation of the implementation plan. More information will be available in August.

Final Report | The I-89 2050 Study Final Report is available.

Implementation Plan | The Implementation Plan identifies and prioritizes the projects and programming necessary to guide the corridor toward the Vision of a safe, sustainable, resilient, reliable, and efficient interstate mainline and interchange system over the next 30 years. The Implementation Plan was unanimously supported by the project’s Advisory Committee at their meeting on May 18, 2022.

Chittenden County is home to a little over 37 miles of Interstate 89 which is the only primary interstate highway within Chittenden County. An additional 1.5-mile spur of an auxiliary route, Interstate 189, which is accessed via Exit 13 in South Burlington. Seven interchanges are within Chittenden County spanning the numbered designations 11 in Richmond at the south through 17 in Colchester at the north.

The broad intent of this study was to assess the safety and capacity of Interstate 89, identify existing and future multimodal needs, develop and evaluate improvements, examine transportation and land use impacts of new or expanded interchanges, determine asset management/maintenance needs, and develop an implementation plan for short, medium, and long-term multimodal investments.

See below for more information on:

PROJECT OVERVIEW AND STUDY AREA »
PUBLIC PROCESS »
TECHNICAL COMMITTEE »
ADVISORY COMMITTEE »
PROJECT NEWS »
BACKGROUND »
CONTACT »

project overview and study area

The Chittenden County I-89 2050 Study is a collaborative effort of the Chittenden County Regional Planning Commission (CCRPC) and the Vermont Agency of Transportation (VTrans) to develop a comprehensive investment program for the 37 mile I-89 corridor in Chittenden County, Vermont through 2050. View the Project Overview for more information on tasks and schedule. Click the image below to view the full Study Area map.

PUBLIC PROCESS

Outreach efforts to share this study’s findings at each phase of the project and solicit input from stakeholders to inform decision-making have been ongoing. View the Public Process Archive for complete meeting schedule, agendas, minutes, videos, and more. Coming soon.

TECHNICAL COMMITTEE

A technical committee composed of members from VTrans, Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), the Cities of Burlington and South Burlington, and the CCRPC focused on the key technical issues and decisions that needed to be advanced during the course of the study —including goals and criteria, confirmation of data collection, technical design criteria, inputs to scenarios, and the technical review of the alternatives and final plan recommendations. This group functioned as a body to ensure quality from a technical standpoint on analyses which were used for decision making throughout the life of the project. View the Technical Committee Archive for complete meeting schedule, agendas, minutes, videos, and more. Coming soon.

ADVISORY COMMITTEE

A project Advisory Committee comprised of a broad cross-section of municipal leaders, transportation providers, regional planners, environmental advocacy groups, and business leaders, will provide input and guidance on a wide range of topics from study goals and stakeholder engagement strategies to scenario planning and alternatives evaluation and decision-making. This group will function as a body with wide knowledge who can speak on behalf of many communities impacted by this project and will help in the decision making process throughout the project. View the Advisory Committee Archive for complete meeting schedule, agendas, minutes, videos, and more. Coming soon.

PROJECT news

Unanimous Support for the Implementation Plan | The I-89 2050 Study Implementation Plan identifies and prioritizes the projects and programming necessary to guide the corridor toward the Vision of a safe, sustainable, resilient, reliable, and efficient interstate mainline and interchange system over the next 30 years. The Implementation Plan was unanimously supported by the project’s Advisory Committee at their meeting on May 18, 2022.
I-89 2050 Study Public Meeting – Transportation Demand Management » | The I-89 2050 Study project team held a virtual public meeting on January 26, 2022. The team reported on the analysis of Transportation Demand Management (TDM) strategies and alternative modes (transit, bike, pedestrian) to reduce the need for capital improvements on I-89.
Traffic Experts are Planning Ahead to Determine if Future Construction is Needed » | NBC 5 reports on the I-89 2050 Study and recent public meetings to discuss potential projects for the corridor that may be triggered by future traffic trends.
South Burlington City Council Advisory Vote on I-89 Interchange Alternatives » | Burlington Free Press reports on the advisory vote by South Burlington City Council to support Exit 12B.
Transportation Officials Seek Feedback on Exit 12B, Other Proposed I-89 Improvements » | The I-89 2050 Study project team met with representatives from a number of the South Burlington City Committees to discuss the interchange concepts being considered and garner feedback on evaluation of the options.
Baker: Chittenden County I-89 2050 Study is an Investment to Meet State and Regional Goals » | This commentary is by Charlie Baker, Executive Director of the Chittenden County Regional Planning Commission.
I-89 2050 Study Public Meeting in Williston » | The Chittenden County I-89 2050 Study project team presented an overview of the project at a public meeting at Williston’s Town Hall on February 13, 2020. This was the third of the three public meetings held around Chittenden County as part of the first round of public outreach.
I-89 2050 Study Public Meeting in South Burlington » | The Chittenden County I-89 2050 Study project team presented an overview of the project at a public meeting at South Burlington’s City Hall on January 30, 2020. This was the first of three public meetings held around Chittenden County as part of the first round of public outreach.
I-89 2050 Study Public Meeting in Winooski » | The Chittenden County I-89 2050 Study project team presented an overview of the project at a public meeting at Winooski’s City Hall on March 11, 2020. This was the third of three public meetings held around Chittenden County as part of the first round of public outreach.
I-89 2050 Study Interview with Charlie Baker and Dave Saladino » | Diane Meyerhoff hosts an interview with Charlie Baker, CCRPC Executive Director, and Dave Saladino, VHB Consultant Team Project Manager, on Channel 17 to discuss the Chittenden County Interstate 89 2050 Study.

background

Chittenden County is home to a little over 37 miles of Interstate 89 which is the only primary interstate highway within Chittenden County. An additional 1.5-mile spur of auxiliary Interstate 189 is accessed via Exit 13. Seven interchanges are within Chittenden County spanning the numbered designations of 11 through 17. Congestion and safety issues on Interstate 89 have long been a topic of conversation and were last systematically examined in the 1997 Chittenden County I-89 Corridor Study.

Proposed new interchanges and multi-modal mobility issues at existing ones have been examined over the years and study reports can be found on the CCRPC Studies and Reports Database. Off ramps at Exits 11, 12, 14 and 15 have been expanded via additional lanes. In addition, plans for major improvements at Exits 16 and 17 are currently at various stages of development by VTrans. During the 2018 update to the CCRPC’s ECOS/Metropolitan Transportation Plan, it was determined it is time for a fresh look at the Interstate 89 corridor within Chittenden County.

Contact

For more information, please contact Eleni Churchill, CCRPC Transportation Program Manager, at (802) 861-0127.