Vermont S 287: An act relating to studying the construction of a self-funding limited access highway replacing Route 22A and linking Burlington, Vergennes, Middlebury, and Rutland to Interstate 87

Bill Text

BILL AS INTRODUCED S.287
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VT LEG #380263 v.3
S.287 1
Introduced by Senators Weeks, Baruth, Brock, Chittenden, Collamore, Gulick, 2
Heffernan, Major, Ram Hinsdale and Williams 3
Referred to Committee on 4
Date: 5
Subject: Highways; State highway law; Interstate 87; Route 22A; study 6
Statement of purpose of bill as introduced: This bill proposes to create a study 7
committee to examine the potential for constructing a new self-funding limited 8
access highway to connect the economic centers of Burlington, Vergennes, 9
Middlebury, and Rutland to Interstate 87 and replace Vermont Route 22A. 10
An act relating to studying the construction of a self-funding limited access 11
highway replacing Route 22A and linking Burlington, Vergennes, 12
Middlebury, and Rutland to Interstate 87 13
It is hereby enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Vermont: 14
Sec. 1. INTERSTATE 22A; STUDY COMMITTEE; REPORT 15
(a) Creation. There is created the Interstate 22A Limited Access Highway 16
Study Committee to examine the potential for constructing a new limited 17
access highway to connect the population centers of central-west and 18
northwest Vermont to Interstate 87 and replace Vermont Route 22A as the 19
primary route from Burlington to Interstate 87. 20

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VT LEG #380263 v.3
(b) Membership. The Committee shall be composed of the following 1
members: 2
(1) the Secretary of Transportation or designee; 3
(2) two current members of the House, not from the same political party, 4
appointed by the Speaker of the House; 5
(3) two current members of the Senate, not from the same political 6
party, appointed by the Committee on Committees; 7
(4) the Mayor of Burlington or designee; 8
(5) the Chair of the South Burlington City Council or designee; 9
(6) the Mayor of Vergennes or designee; 10
(7) the Chair of the Middlebury Selectboard or designee; 11
(8) the Mayor of Rutland or designee; 12
(9) a member appointed by the Chittenden County Regional Planning 13
Commission; 14
(10) a member appointed by the Addison County Regional Planning 15
Commission; and 16
(11) a member appointed by the Rutland Regional Planning 17
Commission. 18
(c) Powers and duties. The Committee shall examine the potential to 19
construct a limited access highway to connect the population centers of central-20
west and northwest Vermont to Interstate 87 and replace Vermont Route 22A 21

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VT LEG #380263 v.3
as the primary route from Burlington to Interstate 87, including the following 1
issues: 2
(1) the current and projected usage of Vermont Route 22A; 3
(2) the potential route for a new limited access highway to connect 4
Burlington to Interstate 87; 5
(3) the projected cost to construct a new highway connection between 6
Burlington and Interstate 87; 7
(4) potential funding mechanisms for a new highway, including the 8
utilization of tolls through integration into the E-ZPass Group or through the 9
utilization of a public-private partnership; 10
(5) the projected economic impact of a new highway connection 11
between Burlington and Interstate 87 on Vermont and on the population 12
centers of central-west and northwest Vermont; and 13
(6) other projected impacts on Vermont and communities located along 14
U.S. Route 7 in Vermont of a new highway connection between U.S. Route 7 15
and Interstate 87. 16
(d) Assistance. The Committee shall have the administrative, technical, 17
and legal assistance of the Agency of Transportation. 18
(e) Report. On or before January 15, 2027, the Committee shall submit a 19
written report to the General Assembly with its findings and any 20
recommendations for legislative action. 21

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VT LEG #380263 v.3
(f) Meetings. 1
(1) The Secretary of Transportation shall call the first meeting of the 2
Committee to occur on or before September 1, 2026. 3
(2) The Secretary of Transportation or designee shall be the Chair. 4
(3) A majority of the membership shall constitute a quorum. 5
(4) The Committee shall cease to exist on February 15, 2027. 6
(g) Compensation and reimbursement. Members of the Committee who 7
are not otherwise compensated for their attendance at meetings shall be entitled 8
to per diem compensation and reimbursement of expenses as permitted under 9
32 V.S.A. § 1010 for not more than six meetings. These payments shall be 10
made from monies appropriated to the Agency of Transportation. 11
Sec. 2. EFFECTIVE DATE 12
This act shall take effect on July 1, 2026. 13