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Shaftsbury Officials Want In-Person Meeting With VTrans on Impact of Route 7 Projects

Posted: August 6, 2024

SHAFTSBURY - The proposed replacement of two culverts on Route 7 two years from now could greatly increase traffic flowing through town on Route 7A during the duration of the work.

The two culverts run crossways under Route 7, just south of Route 313. The projects are in the Vermont Agency of Transportation budget for 2026. Construction is planned to start spring/summer 2026. VTrans presented the proposal to the Sunderland Select Board in the fall of 2023, because the work will be done in that town.

At that time, VTrans said each culvert replacement would take 14 days. The projects would not necessarily occur back-to-back. The 14-day road closures would detour traffic between exits 2 and 3 onto Route 7A. The detour distance would be 12.9 miles, adding 3.3 miles to the Route 7 through-distance between the exits of 9.6 miles.

The project design criteria for Route 7 indicate 8,520 vehicles per day, with 6.3 percent trucks. Peak hour traffic is set at 1,050 vehicles. Presumably this amount of traffic would be detoured onto 7A.

Despite the potential impact on Shaftsbury, VTrans did not make a presentation to town officials. According to Shaftsbury Select Board Chair Naomi Miller, speaking at Monday's board meeting, the intervention of State Rep. David Durfee, D-Shaftsbury, has led to the agency offering to make a Zoom presenation to the board about the work.

Town officials do not think this is adequate.

"They want to come via Zoom. We asked them to come here and do a public meeting, a special meeting in Shaftsbury, as they did in Sunderland, to hear people's concerns and work with them," Miller said. "This was there response. My response was no no no we need to politely ask them to get down here and meet with the public who will actually be affected."

Town Administrator Paula Iken will ask VTrans to come to the town for a special public meeting, possibly held in September. "We don't think they need 45 minutes to an hour just to talk to us, but they might need more than that to hear from us," Miller said. "It seems like one of those decisions that's made from far away."

"I think that as a respect thing, that they should definitely come down to see us in person," said Board Vice Chair Martha Cornwell.

Former Select Board member Art Whitman suggested having the meeting at the Elementary School to accomodate the public.

VTrans has two online project fact sheets on the culverts, officially designated bridge 19-5 and bridge 19-7.

Bridge 19-5 is an 8-foot-span corrugated metal plate pipe arch. It was constructed in 1978 and measures 162 feet long. While the arch is in satisfactory condition; the invert is in poor condition, with large perforations and heavy corrosion. An engineering study recommended a full replacement with a precast concrete box culvert.

Bridge 19-7, a short way down the road, is a 7-foot span of corrugated galvanized metal plate pipe constructed in 1979. It is 120 feet in length, and in fair condition. The VTrans presentation in 2023 indicated it is substandard hydraulically and too small. The engineering study recommended a full replacement with a precast concrete box culvert.

"Bridge closure duration and detour routes to be determined. VTrans will work with the Towns of Sunderland, Shaftsbury, Manchester, and Arlington to determine the best timing of the closure," both fact sheets state. "Continuous traffic counters along US Route 7 show that traffic volumes along the corridor are the lowest in April and May and are the highest in August and October.

"The bridge closure should occur when traffic is at its lowest and avoid any possible community events that would have an impact on traffic," they state.

Compliments of: The Bennington Banner
Posted/Author: Mark Rondeau

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