Vermont

[froggie]

I wonder what the accident rate is along the Super 2, and whether or not a median divider has ever been suggested/proposed, even if its just pylons.

Not that high, from the digging I just partook.  VTrans has a crash query mapper so I took a look at 2023 data.  There were only two reported crashes along the entire Super-2 section in 2023...both south of the Arlington exit.  Doing a 3-year check (2021-2023) bumps that to a total of 5.

US 7 would benefit from corridor upgrades throughout, including alternating passing lanes, smoothing and straightening curves to assist with sight lines, but this would destroy the natural beauty that you experience in that state. I think it's fine as is.

From a purely traffic perspective, 7 may warrant 4 lanes from Vergennes north...that gets into 5-digit AADT territory.  Otherwise, there isn't any lengthy widening that would be warranted.

[froggie]

https://www.waterburyroundabout.org/news-archive/74j06edxiexvizmo02n0vkbcl3fnag?fbclid=IwAR0zOpxCCEghgM1Dch4bcljkib-PW9B6rajo23y80XPsNoTf4Z9sCxOWWCw_aem_AUpBv5ajdJ47SWa6UOJuwSd-o3B2mMesWVAKjcpXodd-65NQJbdp5u2NSXkW3komE0z3hCJacaytLkFjskJOj5ge

This does not surprise me in the least.  I wouldn't be surprised if other towns limit access or close local roads (especially dirt roads in the middle of mud season) for the Eclipse just so that Eclipse traffic doesn't cause them to disintegrate.

[SectorZ]

https://www.waterburyroundabout.org/news-archive/74j06edxiexvizmo02n0vkbcl3fnag?fbclid=IwAR0zOpxCCEghgM1Dch4bcljkib-PW9B6rajo23y80XPsNoTf4Z9sCxOWWCw_aem_AUpBv5ajdJ47SWa6UOJuwSd-o3B2mMesWVAKjcpXodd-65NQJbdp5u2NSXkW3komE0z3hCJacaytLkFjskJOj5ge

This does not surprise me in the least.  I wouldn't be surprised if other towns limit access or close local roads (especially dirt roads in the middle of mud season) for the Eclipse just so that Eclipse traffic doesn't cause them to disintegrate.

I wonder what the roads are going to be like if the 4/3-4/5 storm pans out up there. The possibility of two feet of snow along portions of the total eclipse route are possible.

[froggie]

They'll be a soggy mess...as they'll just start to melt and thaw out Sunday into Monday.

[noelbotevera]

I was returning from viewing the eclipse in Quebec earlier this week, and while driving across Vermont on US 4, there's a random freeway section between the NY state line and Rutland. At the time I drove it (8 PM on a Tuesday), it was practically empty. Based on what I saw on the ground, New York clearly has no plans to extend it -- I'm sure it'd be nice for NYC to Vermont vacationers, as a quick way from I-87 -- while Vermont also has no plans to extend it considering there's a shopping mall in the way.

In my opinion, I think it'd be nice for it to fully bypass Rutland, but I'm not sure how because there's also a state forest a couple miles behind the shopping mall. I'm unfamiliar with any canceled freeway proposals in Vermont (minus I-189), so I'm clearly missing something. My best guess is that this freeway was supposed to cross the Green Mountains, but all the ski resorts are in that region -- so this would have probably tied into I-91 on the other end of the state for the sake of connectivity.

[Rothman]

I was returning from viewing the eclipse in Quebec earlier this week, and while driving across Vermont on US 4, there's a random freeway section between the NY state line and Rutland. At the time I drove it (8 PM on a Tuesday), it was practically empty. Based on what I saw on the ground, New York clearly has no plans to extend it -- I'm sure it'd be nice for NYC to Vermont vacationers, as a quick way from I-87 -- while Vermont also has no plans to extend it considering there's a shopping mall in the way.

In my opinion, I think it'd be nice for it to fully bypass Rutland, but I'm not sure how because there's also a state forest a couple miles behind the shopping mall. I'm unfamiliar with any canceled freeway proposals in Vermont (minus I-189), so I'm clearly missing something. My best guess is that this freeway was supposed to cross the Green Mountains, but all the ski resorts are in that region -- so this would have probably tied into I-91 on the other end of the state for the sake of connectivity.

Yeah, that's sat there for decades.  I'd even wonder if VT considers that stretch a mistake.

[roadman65]

Wasn't the US 4 freeway to be part of the never built I-98 that was proposed but later scrapped for whatever reason?

[Rothman]

Wasn't the US 4 freeway to be part of the never built I-98 that was proposed but later scrapped for whatever reason?

No.

[roadman65]

https://maps.app.goo.gl/yBTpQZwqSPow2QMq7
Well being the mall has lost two anchor tenants maybe VTrans should continue the freeway further east at least to bypass Rutland anyway.

[vdeane]

IIRC there were two I-92 proposals.  One along VT/NH 9/NH 101, and another along the US 4 corridor.  Either way, VT in the 60s did hope that NY would build something connecting it to I-87, but NY refused (which IMO is unfortunate given the congestion on the NY 149/US 4 corridor, especially around Fort Ann and "million dollar mile", AKA the US 9 overlap near exit 20).

I looked up the AADT, and it appears to be comparable to I-93 or the northern bits of I-91.  Traffic has never seemed particularly sparse when I've used it, but then I usually do on Sunday, so in the morning I'm not expecting any traffic, and in the afternoon, everyone is returning home.

It's amazing how isolated Vermont is from anywhere that isn't Massachusetts (and by extension, Connecticut and Rhode Island), New Hampshire, or Canada.

[Rothman]

Ah, I-92.  I-98's current proposal is much further north.

[roadman65]

Ah, I-92.  I-98's current proposal is much further north.

I thought about I-92 after. I remember hearing one of them was proposed but never came to fruition.

[webny99]

I was returning from viewing the eclipse in Quebec earlier this week, and while driving across Vermont on US 4, there's a random freeway section between the NY state line and Rutland. At the time I drove it (8 PM on a Tuesday), it was practically empty. Based on what I saw on the ground, New York clearly has no plans to extend it -- I'm sure it'd be nice for NYC to Vermont vacationers, as a quick way from I-87 -- while Vermont also has no plans to extend it considering there's a shopping mall in the way.

In my opinion, I think it'd be nice for it to fully bypass Rutland, but I'm not sure how because there's also a state forest a couple miles behind the shopping mall. I'm unfamiliar with any canceled freeway proposals in Vermont (minus I-189), so I'm clearly missing something. My best guess is that this freeway was supposed to cross the Green Mountains, but all the ski resorts are in that region -- so this would have probably tied into I-91 on the other end of the state for the sake of connectivity.

Yeah, that's sat there for decades.  I'd even wonder if VT considers that stretch a mistake.

I think NY not extending it to meet I-87 at Queensbury is a bigger mistake. Yes, the VT stretch is lightly traveled, but it's a treat to drive since freeways are such a rarity in eastern VT, and it would be busier if it connected to I-87.