Recent Updates

UPDATE TO CITY COUNCIL - September 23, 2024

At the September 23rd City Council Meeting, DPW Project Manager Corey Mims provided an update on the Railyard Enterprise Project. Click here for the Project Update Memo and here for the meeting presentation.

PUBLIC MEETING - May 1, 2024

A public meeting was held on 5/1/24, where the Railyard Enterprise Project was discussed, including plans for the new roadway connecting Pine Street to Battery Street. If missed, there's no need to worry – the meeting recording and presentation can be accessed using this LINK.

2024 – The Federal Highway Administration approved the Project’s Final Environmental Assessment (EA) and Individual Section 4(f) Evaluation on February 2, 2024. These documents are Now Available for Viewing.

The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), the Vermont Agency of Transportation (VTrans), and the City of Burlington are pleased to announce the completion of the Environmental Assessment (EA) for the Railroad Enterprise Project (REP). The proposed REP includes a new 0.3-mile-long multimodal roadway connection between Pine Street and Battery Street in Burlington, Vermont.

The Final EA, which describes the Purpose and Need for the Project, the alternatives evaluated, and their anticipated impact on social and natural environmental resources, is now available for public viewing. The document also provides a summary of the public engagement process, identification of the Preferred Alternative, and proposed mitigation measures.

You can view the EA and Section 4(f) documents HERE.

2023 - Environmental Assessment (EA) and Section 4(f) Documents Ready for Comment

The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), the Vermont Agency of Transportation (VTrans), and the City of Burlington announce the availability of the Draft Environmental Assessment (EA) for the Railroad Enterprise Project (REP) for public review and comment. The proposed REP includes a new 0.3-mile-long multimodal roadway connection between Pine Street and Battery Street in Burlington, Vermont.

The EA describes the Purpose and Need for the Project, the alternatives evaluated, and their anticipated impact on social and natural environmental resources. The EA also provides a summary of the public engagement process and identification of the Preferred Alternative and proposed mitigation measures.

The public review and comment period will be open from September 8, 2023, and conclude on October 9, 2023.

2022 - Year End Reflection

As 2022 comes to an end, we wanted to provide an update on the Railyard Enterprise Project. Over the last several months, the project team shared concept alternatives at community and stakeholder meetings, focusing on Alternative 1b as the anticipated preferred alternative. On October 17, the City Council approved the project team’s request to seek approval of Alternative 1b as the preferred alternative for the project. The City is excited about this important step!

The project team is working to complete a draft of the Environmental Assessment (EA) before the end of the year. VTrans and Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) review of the document will be completed in the coming months. Approval of the EA, which we are hopeful to get in Fall 2023, would officially designate Alternative 1b as the Preferred Alternative and allow the project team to move forward with conceptual design. We will continue to update you and the public as the project progresses. We anticipate that the next communication will come sometime in late winter/early spring with an update on the status of the EA review.

We will continue to update the website (www.railyardenterprise.com) and please reach out to Corey Mims (cmims@burlingtonvt.gov) with any questions.

Happy Near Year!

City Council - Approved Preferred Alternative 

Date: October 17, 2022

Action: City Council voted to approve the selection of Alternative 1B as the Preferred Alternative for the Railyard Enterprise Project.

Next Steps: Finishing Environmental Assessment and submitting to Federal Highway Administration in December 2022.

View the 10/17/22 City Council Presentation HERE.