PROJECT ANNOUNCEMENT

RELEASE DATE: Monday, October 28, 2024

City of Burlington Announces the Substantial Completion of the Initial Contract of the Champlain Parkway Project

The City of Burlington Department of Public Works, in partnership with the Vermont Agency of Transportation, announces the substantial completion of the initial contract of the Champlain Parkway Project. The 2.8-mile project will connect I-189 to the City’s south end, alleviating neighborhood traffic and transforming the existing road into a two-lane multi-modal roadway. The full project includes the construction of the Champlain Parkway from the existing I-189 near its intersection with U.S. Route 7 to Lakeside Avenue and upgrades to Lakeside Avenue and the section of Pine Street between Lakeside Avenue to Main Street. The initial contract includes the construction of the Champlain Parkway from Home Avenue to Lakeside Avenue, upgrades to Lakeside Avenue, and the rehabilitation of the section of Pine Street between Lakeside Avenue and Kilburn Street.

CONSTRUCTION SEASON ONE (2022)
Construction of the initial contract began in June of 2022 and continued over the course of three construction seasons through the Fall of 2024. In order to avoid additional traffic delays during the construction of the Shelburne Street Roundabout, the first construction season focused on the area between Home Avenue and Sears Lane with some off-road work along Lakeside Avenue. The work focused on the installation of underground utilities and stormwater infrastructure including the sand filter near Lakeside Avenue, the culvert at Englesby Brook, and the stormwater detention pond between Sears Lane and Flynn Avenue.

CONSTRUCTION SEASON TWO (2023)
The second construction season focused on the completion of underground utilities and stormwater infrastructure, reconstruction of roadways, installation of shared-use paths and sidewalks, railroad crossing improvements, traffic signal installation, and the construction of the Champlain Parkway starting between Home Avenue and Sears Lane followed by Sears Lane to Lakeside Avenue. In addition, crews began the reconstruction of Lakeside Avenue between the railroad tracks and Pine Street and the rehabilitation of Pine Street between Lakeside Avenue and Kilburn Street including the reconstruction or rehabilitation of the roadways, the installation of a shared-use path and sidewalks, improvements to the existing roadway geometries and layout, and traffic signal installation.

CONSTRUCTION SEASON THREE (2024)
The third and final construction season included the remaining work as part of the initial contract. Crews completed the remaining work between Home Avenue and Lakeside Avenue including line striping, completion of the traffic signals, landscaping and tree planting, the installation of permanent roadway signage, and general clean-up and along Lakeside Avenue including paving the final lift of pavement on the roadway and driveways, installing final line striping, constructing the shared-use path, landscaping and general clean up. The bulk of the work took place along Pine Street between Lakeside Avenue and Kilburn Street and included the installation of curb, constructing the remaining portions of the eastside sidewalk, completion of sewer manhole adjustments and drainage structure rehabilitation, paving the final lift of pavement on the street and shared-use path, installation of the final line striping and permanent roadway signage, installation of the raised intersections at Kilburn Street, Marble Avenue, and Howard Street, and completion of landscaping and general clean up. In addition, the shared-use path connection between the south end of Pine Street and Shelburne Street (Route 7) that runs along Potash Brook was partially constructed.

PROJECT STATUS AND UPDATE:
Crews will remain onsite over the next couple of weeks completing overall site clean-up and any remaining punch list items as part of the initial contract. Crews will complete some additional work including the installation of bus shelters and their foundations. Traffic signal crews will be on site making modifications to traffic signal equipment and timing and phasing adjustments for the interim condition.

Since the initial segment of the Champlain Parkway between Home and Lakeside Avenues opened in August, the Project Team has been monitoring traffic operations and flow. Based on these observations, the Project Team has been working with the project designers and traffic signal crew to determine the appropriate adjustments and modifications needing to be made to the new signals to improve operations throughout the interim condition. Over the next couple of weeks, the traffic signal crews will implement these changes to better match the new traffic patterns and balance the flow of traffic while the new I-189 connection is constructed.

FINAL CONTRACT PROJECT ANNOUNCEMENT:
The City of Burlington Department of Public Works (DPW) announces the final construction contract for phase two of the Champlain Parkway Project (CPP) was awarded to Engineers Construction Inc. (ECI) on August 14th with a contract value of approximately $14.4 million. The final contract includes the reconstruction of the section of the Champlain Parkway between I-189 and Home Avenue and the rehabilitation of Pine Street between Kilburn Street and Main Street. Construction activities could begin later this fall with work taking place off the roadway along the unused section of the previously constructed Southern Connector between Shelburne Street (Route 7) and Home Avenue. Work on the final phase of the contract will continue into the Summer of 2026. A public meeting will be held in advance of the start of major construction activities.

ADDITIONAL PROJECT INFORMATION:
The Project Team will continue to distribute weekly Construction Updates for the Champlain Parkway Project and Project Announcements as needed to the stakeholder distribution list and the project website.

PROJECT LOCATION:
The Champlain Parkway Project spans a 2.8-mile area from the I-189 intersection with US 7 to Lakeside Avenue, and includes upgrades to Lakeside Avenue, and improvements to the section of Pine Street between Lakeside Avenue and Main Street.

The substantially completed initial contract included the construction of the Champlain Parkway from Home Avenue to Lakeside Avenue, upgrades to Lakeside Avenue, and improvements to the section of Pine Street between Lakeside Avenue and Kilburn Street.

The final contract includes the construction of the Champlain Parkway from I-189 to Home Avenue and improvements to the section of Pine Street between Kilburn Street and Main Street.

PROJECTED COMPLETION: Initial Contract 2024, Final Contract 2026

Click here to read the full Project Announcement.