FAQs

Below are frequently asked questions about the Champlain Parkway Project. If you have a question and don't see it listed here, please contact the project team! 

Will the construction and completion of Phase I of the Champlain Parkway (Home Avenue to Pine Street), introduce significantly more traffic to the King/Maple Neighborhood?

In the City Memorandum from August 9, 2021, on page 3, in the second paragraph it states; “During the interim period prior to the interstate connection, our Parkway consulting engineers project no substantive change in overall South End traffic even with the first Champlain Parkway phase constructed and opened for public use.”   

The August 9, 2021, City Memorandum can be viewed HERE.

What are the improvements for pedestrians and bicyclists?

The Champlain Parkway Project will provide improved bicycle and pedestrian facilities along the entire corridor.

A new shared-use path will be constructed running north-south, connecting the existing path at Home Avenue to Kilburn Street. The new path will run along the east side of the new Parkway alignment to Lakeside Avenue, continuing along the north side of Lakeside Avenue to Pine Street and extending along the west side of Pine Street to Kilburn Avenue. Bike lanes will be installed along Pine Street between Kilburn Street and Main Street, and shared lane pavement markings will be included along Pine Street throughout the rest of the project corridor.

In addition, a new shared-use path will be constructed between U.S. Route 7 (Shelburne Street) near the I-189 off-ramp and Pine Street near South Crest Drive.

New continuous and ADA-compliant sidewalks will be installed along Pine Street throughout the project corridor with a connection to the Parkway alignment along the south side of Lakeside Avenue. Several unsignalized intersections along Pine Street including at Howard Street, Marble Avenue, and Kilburn Street will feature raised crosswalks that will serve to reduce traffic speeds by providing a visually contrasting pavement surface and improving the visibility of pedestrians.

Traffic signals will be upgraded along the new Parkway alignment at Home Avenue, Flynn Avenue, Sears Lane and Lakeside Avenue and along Pine Street at Lakeside Avenue, Maple Street, King Street, and Main Street. All new and upgraded traffic signals will include an exclusive pedestrian phase with WALK signals, giving pedestrians a safe time to cross when vehicular traffic is stopped. In addition, this project will install an additional mid-block crossing with user-activated rectangular rapid flashing beacons along Pine Street between Locust and Howard Streets, Howard and Marble Streets, and Kilburn and Maple Streets.

The intersections at the northern end of Pine Street cannot accommodate the amount of traffic on Pine Street today. How will the Maple Street and King Street intersections be able to function with the addition of 1,400 vehicles per day resulting from the Champlain Parkway?

Today the intersections are inefficiently controlled by four-way stop signs meaning all vehicles approaching these intersections must stop. Traffic signals will be installed at the unsignalized intersections of Pine Street at Maple Street and Pine Street at King Street during Phase 2. Signalizing these intersections will increase the capacity, therefore, reducing delay and alleviating congestion at these locations. With these upgrades in place, these intersections will operate more efficiently, and the level of service will improve in accordance with the VTrans’ Level of Service Policy.

Why not provide park-and-ride lots on the periphery of the city and improve public transportation rather than construct the Champlain Parkway?

Transportation Demand Management (TDM) options were considered as an alternative to the proposed alternative (the Champlain Parkway Project). The objective of TDM is to reduce vehicular volumes within urban areas through measures including improving public transit, creating park-and-ride facilities that encourage carpooling and/or transit use, increasing bicycle commuting opportunities, and working with employers to provide alternatives to single-occupant vehicle use by employees. The City of Burlington has made considerable efforts focusing on the incorporation of TDM measures over the years. The alternatives analysis, completed as part of the project, indicated that TDM measures alone would not be sufficient to address the project’s purpose and need. The proposed alternative, the Champlain Parkway Project, includes the implementation of some TMD measures.

The Champlain Parkway Project includes transit improvements including new bus shelters and transit signal prioritization at signalized intersections. Transit users will benefit from improved on-time bus service because of the reduced traffic congestion along Pine Street and the Transit Signal Priority capabilities as part of the traffic signal updates.

If you build the Champlain Parkway, will people in the city be cut off from Lake Champlain, Red Rocks, and Oakledge Park?

There will be several locations along the Parkway alignment that will maintain east/west connectivity for all users to destinations such as Lake Champlain, Red Rocks, and Oakledge Park. There will be signalized intersections along the Parkway alignment at Home Avenue, Flynn Avenue, Sears Lane, and Lakeside Avenue that will provide all users access to and from the west side of the Parkway alignment. These intersections will include crosswalks and a push-activated exclusive pedestrian phase to allow pedestrians a safe time to cross when vehicular traffic is stopped.

When will construction take place for the Champlain Parkway Project and when will it be completed?

The Champlain Parkway Project will be completed in two phases under two separate construction contracts which will be executed sequentially. The initial contract is underway and is anticipated to be completed in 2024. The work includes the construction of the Champlain Parkway from Home Avenue to Lakeside Avenue and upgrades to Lakeside Avenue and the section of Pine Street between Lakeside Avenue and Kilburn Street. The first construction season focused on the area between Home and Lakeside Avenues. The second construction season focused on the Champlain Parkway between Home and Lakeside Ave, and upgrades to Lakeside Avenue and Pine Street. The final contract is anticipated to begin in 2025 and be completed by 2027. The final contract includes the construction of the Champlain Parkway from Interstate 189 to Home Avenue and upgrades to Pine Street between Kilburn and Main Streets. Please note, the construction timeline is tentative and may change.

Will construction be conducted during the day or at night?

Construction is anticipated to take place during both the daytime and nighttime hours and will be dependent on the type of activity, location, associated impacts, contract restrictions, and the City of Burlington regulations.  Construction activities within a residential zone are restricted to between the hours of 7:00 AM and 7:00 PM, Monday through Friday, and between the hours of 8:00 AM and 5:00 PM on Saturday. For all other zones, construction hours shall adhere to the City of Burlington regulations. The City of Burlington regulations can be viewed here. To determine the Zoning District for your neighborhood click here.

For real-time information on current and upcoming construction hours, please see the most recent Construction Update found on the Project Homepage under Latest News or sign up to receive weekly Construction Updates to your email by clicking here.

Will there be road closures and detours? If so, where?

Motorists and pedestrians will see temporary traffic barriers set up throughout the construction. Construction will take place in stages with traffic control measures in place for each stage. Construction along Pine Street will utilize alternating one-way traffic patterns to maintain traffic flow. During paving operations, Pine Street will be reduced to northbound-only traffic, with southbound traffic detoured from Pine Street to Kilburn Street to St Paul Street to Shelburn Street to Flynn Ave to Pine Street.  Intermittent single-lane closures and detours will be installed for construction activity on Home Avenue, Flynn Avenue, and Lakeside Avenue. At signaled intersections, Uniformed Traffic Officers or a team of flaggers will be in place to guide traffic through the work zone. As part of the project, Lyman Avenue, Ferguson Avenue, Briggs Street, Batchelder Street, Morse Place, and the southern end of Pine Street will be permanently transitioned to dead-end streets and cul-de-sacs will be constructed.

Will public transportation be impacted by construction?

Delays and detours are anticipated throughout construction for all users traveling through the project area including public transit. The project team will coordinate with local transportation companies throughout construction to share relevant information that may impact existing routes and schedules to help local transportation companies plan ahead. All bus stops will be available throughout construction.

Will there be pedestrian access in the project area during construction?

Yes, pedestrian access will be maintained throughout construction. Temporary pedestrian accommodations or detours will be installed to guide pedestrians through or around the work zone, as needed. All temporary pedestrian routes will comply with all Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requirements. Pedestrian access will be provided to all adjacent properties, buildings, residences and businesses at all times. Construction work areas will be secured at the completion of each working day.

Where can I find updates about traffic delays and detours?

We encourage you to sign up to receive our weekly Construction Updates to stay informed of current and upcoming construction activities, including locations, durations, and anticipated impacts such as detours and traffic delays.

You can sign up to receive project emails by clicking here or you can view our most recent Construction Updates and Traffic Alerts on the Project Homepage under Latest News.

Who is the project contractor?

The initial construction contract for phase one of the Champlain Parkway Project has been awarded to the joint venture between S.D. Ireland Brothers and Kubricky Construction Corporation.

I live and/or work along the construction route. Will I be able to access residences and businesses?

Yes. The contractor will maintain access to adjacent properties during construction. The contractor will also work with local businesses to coordinate and maintain access for deliveries. If there is a need to block access for a period of time, the contractor will coordinate directly with impacted businesses and residents in advance.

I live in the project area. How will I know when construction crews will be working near my property?

We encourage area residents to subscribe to receive our weekly Construction Updates to stay informed of current and upcoming construction activities, including locations, durations, and anticipated impacts. In addition, a member of the project team or the contractor will reach out to residents who are directly impacted by construction activities in advance through door-to-door outreach. The City’s public information team will also conduct outreach to residents and business owners adjacent to construction activities.

You can sign up to receive weekly Construction Updates to your email by clicking here or you can view our most recent Construction Updates on the Project Homepage under Latest News.

What are the construction activities for 2024?

All remaining project work associated with completing the construction of the Champlain Parkway between Home Avenue to Lakeside Avenue, upgrades to Lakeside Avenue, and improvements to the section of Pine Street between Lakeside Avenue and Kilburn Street will be finished in 2024. This includes, but is not limited to:


• the installation of signalization and pavement markings along the Parkway and intersecting streets (Home Avenue, Flynn Avenue, Sears Lane, and Lakeside Avenue),
• the paving of Lakeside Avenue, and Pine Street to the final wearing course,
• the installation of remaining curb, sidewalk, a shared-use path along Lakeside Avenue and Pine Street within the project limits,
• the remaining work to rehabilitate and install stormwater and drainage infrastructure along Pine Street between Lakeside Avenue and Kilburn Street, and,
• landscaping and project cleanup throughout the project area.

When will construction end in 2023?

Major construction activities for the Champlain Parkway Project shut down for the winter on December 1, 2023. The contractor SDK will maintain an on-site presence throughout the winter shutdown. East Coast Signals will also be on-site to install traffic signals along the Champlain Parkway throughout the winter. There is potential for other minor construction activities to take place outside of the roadway between the start of the winter shutdown and when construction resumes in the spring of 2024.

Will there be any construction over the winter of 2023/2024?

During the winter shutdown from December 1, 2023 – Spring 2024, work will take place predominantly outside of the roadway with minor impacts to traffic. East Coast Signals will install traffic and pedestrian signals at the intersections of the Champlain Parkway with Home Avenue, Flynn Avenue, Sears Lane, and Lakeside Avenue.

Intermittent exploratory work for the subsequent phase of construction will take place along Pine Street between Kilburn Street and Main Street. The exploratory excavation will be conducted to determine the make-up of the roadway subbase for future roadway rehabilitation and to identify and confirm the locations of existing underground utilities and subsurface conditions for future infrastructure work.

When will construction begin in 2024?

The final construction season for the initial contract of the Champlain Parkway Project is anticipated to begin in the Spring of 2024 in March or April. The project team will resume weekly email Construction Updates before crews remobilize in the Spring of 2024. To sign up, please join the project’s email list on the Home page. You can also email us at info@champlainparkway.com to be added to the list.

Why are the access points to the Champlain Parkway between Home Avenue and Lakeside Avenue blocked with barriers?

Please be advised that the newly constructed segment of the Champlain Parkway between Home Avenue and Lakeside Avenue has not been completed and is not open for public access. Vehicular traffic along this segment is prohibited. Pedestrian and bicycle access along this portion of the shared-use path is restricted. This area will not be maintained throughout the winter.


The Champlain Parkway roadway and shared-use path between Home Avenue and Lakeside Avenue are not officially open to public use for several reasons:


• SDK, the contractor for the Champlain Parkway Project, is working through the winter season. Usually, the Project would have a full winter shutdown; however, the City of Burlington has allowed them to continue with traffic signal and lighting work on the new roadway segment.
• As the project contractor, SDK has to keep the construction site secure and prevent members of the public from unwittingly entering an active construction site. Public safety is our first priority.
• The City of Burlington is restricting public use of the new section of the Parkway, given there are no intersection controls in place to assign proper rights of way to various modes of travel and users. The barriers are in place to prevent unauthorized access to this section of the shared-use path and avoid potential accidents or injuries.
• For contractual reasons, the City of Burlington is obligated to keep the project corridor within the contractor’s control until the facility is fully complete. The public will be allowed to use the new roadway segment once the Champlain Parkway Project is contractually complete, which is anticipated for late summer 2024.