Project Background

The project includes the replacement of the Winooski River Bridge and safety improvements to the intersection within Burlington immediately to the south.  Each of these areas (the bridge and intersection) were independently advanced through the Project Definition phase (2017-2019) with the Chittenden County Regional Planning Commission (CCRPC) as the lead agency. Various design alternatives were evaluated based on their ability to meet project goals, conceptual site impacts, costs, and other factors. The team consulted with an advisory committee, held a public meeting, and presented the project to the Burlington and Winooski City Councils. The phase concluded with Scoping Reports, which recommended a traditional four-way intersection at Colchester Avenue, Riverside Avenue, and Barrett Street, along with a complete bridge replacement with four travel lanes, 2-foot-wide shoulders, and two 12-foot-wide shared-use paths. Each of these recommendations were approved for advancement.

Preliminary engineering will occur over the next few years, with construction planned to begin in 2027.

To learn more, visit the Project Overview Page of the Project Website. You can also view the Project Documents Page to review past project public meeting materials. 

Intersection and Bridge

The Burlington-Winooski Bridge, with the adjacent intersection in Burlington, is the most critical piece of infrastructure connecting two of the most populated and diverse communities in Vermont. Although the project definition for the bridge and intersection were conducted separately, this next phase seeks to design the two projects in parallel, ultimately combining the goals of both projects to create a cohesive and continuous project for all users.

Intersection Improvements:

• Consolidates into a single four-way signalized intersection at Colchester Avenue, Riverside Avenue, and Barrett Street.
• Reduces pedestrian and bike crossing distances.
• Decreases potential vehicular conflict points.
• Simplifies the intersection layout to minimize driver confusion.
• Implements modern traffic signal equipment with improved timing and phasing to reduce congestion and enhance safety.

Bridge Improvements:

• Wider than the existing bridge.
• Includes 12 to 15-foot-wide, barrier-separated shared-use paths on both sides.
• 2-foot shoulders for snow and stormwater storage.
• Slightly wider travel lanes to meet modern safety standards.
• Designed for current safety and capacity needs, with flexibility for future demands.

The final condition seeks to blend into the area’s historical significance, with considerations for aesthetics and greenspace.

Bike and Pedestrian

The project definition phase identified improvements to bicycle and pedestrian accommodations throughout the corridor as a priority for both the bridge and intersection projects.

Based on public and stakeholder feedback, the Project Team has widened the proposed bridge to increase the width of the shared-use paths.

Other design aspects under consideration include:

• Transitions to and from the shared-use paths on the bridge to the surrounding sidewalks in Burlington and Winooski.
• Signing and striping options to differentiate between bike and pedestrian space.

The intersection will provide crosswalks with ADA accommodations to connect pedestrians and bikes traveling from Colchester Avenue to the Riverside Avenue shared-use path. Bike lanes and buffers will be provided along Colchester Avenue, connecting to the new shared-use path starting at Barrett Street and extending across the bridge for northbound bikes.

Overall, the intersection project aims to improve bike and pedestrian movements and safety in the area. The traffic signal timing will balance the flow of multimodal intersection demands and intersection safety.

Traffic

Two types of maintenance of traffic schemes were evaluated to bookend the effects of maintaining traffic during construction on the region:

• Phased construction (2 lanes northbound)
• A full bridge closure

A third scheme, maintaining one lane in each direction was also evaluated, however, the adjacent intersections could not support the traffic volume.

Maintaining traffic throughout construction has been preferred. Working with the bridge and highway designers, it was determined that this could be achieved in four phases:

• Phase 1:  Maintain the existing configuration and begin site work.
• Phase 2:  Reduce the bridge to two phases, maintain northbound traffic and detour southbound traffic (4-6 months). The contract will set time of year guidelines to reduce the effects of this closure.
• Phase 3:  Add a third lane, southbound (12-16 months). It was determined that the intersection in Burlington could best maintain traffic in this condition if southbound traffic had minimal conflicting movements, therefor the southbound lane will direct traffic to Riverside only.
• Phase 4:  Reopen to four lanes.

Several considerations went into this determination including:

• Site safety
• Accessibility required by emergency services
• Bridge constructability
• Construction duration
• Maintaining mobility

Next Steps

The Project Team remains committed to delivering excellent work while continuing to refine the project to meet its goals. We will ensure transparency and keep the public informed through regular email updates, social media posts, and other effective communication channels. Thank you for your ongoing interest and support!

Next Steps Include:

• Request for Qualifications (RFQ) and Request for Proposals (RFP) Development
• Continued Coordination for:
  • Right of Way
  • Environmental Commitments
  • Utility Relocation
  • Stakeholder Engagement