Vermont approves US$685.7 million transportation bill

Vermont plans to spend a record US$685.7 million on transportation projects under legislation signed by Governor Peter Shumlin. The FY 2015 Transportation Bill contains the largest investment in transportation infrastructure in state history. The bill provides for infrastructure improvements and maintenance and supports the Agency of Transportation’s (VTrans) vision of a safe, efficient, multimodal transportation system that promotes Vermont’s quality of life and economic growth. It also supports the contin
June 4, 2014 Read time: 2 mins
7786 Vermont plans to spend a record US$685.7 million on transportation projects under legislation signed by Governor Peter Shumlin. The FY 2015 Transportation Bill contains the largest investment in transportation infrastructure in state history. The bill provides for infrastructure improvements and maintenance and supports the Agency of Transportation’s (VTrans) vision of a safe, efficient, multimodal transportation system that promotes Vermont’s quality of life and economic growth. It also supports the continued rebuilding of infrastructure damaged by Tropical Storm Irene and other recent natural disasters.

The budget represents an increase of 5 per cent, or US$32 million, compared to the FY 2014 budget of US$653 million, and will fund more than 800 projects around the state.  It provides for seven per cent increase in roadway paving that will cover almost 400 miles and a six per cent increase for bridge repair and replacement.

“This budget makes sound investments in our infrastructure that will grow Vermont’s economy not only by directly creating jobs in the construction industry, but also by supporting other important economic sectors, such as tourism, agriculture, hospitality, manufacturing, among others,” said Shumlin.

“Several successive years of record level investment are yielding positive results,” said Transportation Secretary Brian Searles. “We are seeing improved performance in pavement quality and in the condition of our structures. To continue these gains, this transportation bill will advance the repair or replacement of more than 100 bridges, perform preventive maintenance on dozens of structures, and improve more than 375 miles of pavement.”

The budget also includes $13.3 million for highway safety and traffic operations, a US$1.8 million increase (16 per cent) over FY2014 and includes funding for  such projects as intersection reconstruction, roundabout construction, turn lane additions, work-zone assistance to municipalities, the High Risk Rural Roads (HRRR) program and the installation of signs, beacons, signals and pavement markings. This program also funds the efforts associated with Vermont’s Strategic Highway Safety Plan.
UTC

Related Content

  • August 14, 2017
    Mott MacDonald providing detailed design for Dominica road rehabilitation project
    Mott MacDonald is providing the detailed design for the Loubiere to Bagatelle road rehabilitation project on behalf of the Government of the Commonwealth of Dominica’s Ministry of Public Works and Ports. A grant from the UK’s Department for International Development has been provided to Dominica through the Caribbean Development Bank, following significant damage caused along the road alignment as a result of Tropical Storm Erika in 2015. The project, set over approximately 20km, will see the construction
    Read More
  • August 21, 2014
    Use tolling to help rebuild interstate highways
    Following the passage of the short-term Highway Trust Fund bill, Patrick Jones, CEO of the International Bridge, Tunnel and Turnpike Association, writing in Roll Call, writes that states should now be focused on capitalising on a key part of the Grow America Act, which will lift the ban on interstate tolling, allowing states to determine how to fund reconstruction of interstate highways. He says that now that Congress has ‘patched’ the Highway Trust Fund to save it from insolvency, it is time to get some
    Read More
  • February 5, 2015
    Praise for Obama’s FY2016 budget
    US Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx joined Google executive chairman Eric Schmidt at the Google Campus in California today where he discussed the budget and unveiled Beyond Traffic, a new US Department of Transportation (DOT) analysis outlining the trends that are likely to shape the needs of our transportation system over the next three decades. Beyond Traffic includes a strong focus on how ITS technologies, including vehicle-to-vehicle communication, vehicle automation and other new technologies are
    Read More
  • December 16, 2013
    Crossrail project receives US$814 million EIB funding
    The European Investment Bank (EIB), Europe’s long-term lending institution, has provided further funds to support the latest step in Crossrail’s development with a loan of up to US$814 million to Transport for London (TfL). The facility will be used for financing a fleet of new high-capacity air-conditioned trains as well as a new maintenance depot. Finance contracts were signed in London this week by Steve Allen, TfL’s Managing Director Finance and Jonathan Taylor, European Investment Bank Vice President.
    Read More

Highlighted Content