December
12, 2018
Governor
Phil Scott
Pavilion
Office Building
109 State Street
Montpelier, Vermont 05609
109 State Street
Montpelier, Vermont 05609
Dear
Governor Scott:
The
members of the Pine Street Coalition would like to congratulate you
on winning another term as Governor of our State of Vermont. Our
Coalition is a grassroots and volunteer citizens' organization with
about 100 members dedicated to safe and quality transportation in
Burlington's South End neighborhood.
In
addition, we thank you, along with Transportation Secretary Flynn for
meeting with a delegation of the Coalition May 8 at your Capitol
Building office to learn more about our neighborhood concerns over
the outdated and unsafe design of the Champlain Parkway. Its last
public hearing now dates back 12 years to November 2006.
The
Parkway design, a vestige of 1960s thinking, was originally thought
of as a segment of a four-lane limited access ring road surrounding
the center of Burlington. The public comment on the project ended in
2006 and the Final Supplemental Environmental Impact (FSEIS) issued
2009. The total project cost now estimated at $43 million funding
share -- 95% federal, 3% State and 2% City monies.
Since
the FSEIS was issued in 2009, the neighborhood has blossomed into the
most vibrant section of our City, and major changes in laws and
policies affecting highway design have also occurred. The Pine
Street Coalition steadfastly maintains it would be best for all if
the current obsolete and invalid iteration of the Champlain Parkway
roadway design is abandoned and a modern design begun through a new
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) process. A new EIS would be
driven in great part by the neighborhood itself whose very economy
and safety are at stake. We have suggested Re-Design Guidelines for
improvements meeting current and future transportation
needs—particularly by providing separate, safe walk and bike
facilities totally lacking in the Parkway design. We can meet
current and future needs far better and overall at lower cost.
Additionally, both safety and climate change emissions now possible
through “best practices” were left out of the current design
considerations. Using “best practices” serious injuries could be
reduced over current levels and significant reductions in climate
change emissions achieved.
A
re-design certainly will reduce two streets between Home and Flynn
Avenues to one street, the most glaring financial waste. As well,
connectivity between Burlington and So. Burlington can be preserved
instead of severing one of the only two north-south corridors here in
the City. Upwards of six acres can be retained for protection and
preservation of Englesby Brook, park and open space, and economic
development. Again, new regulations require minimizing impacts on
our low income Maple/King neighborhood not even considered in the
FSEIS process.
This
April, the Coalition issued a detailed 240+ page set of documents
detailing the changes since the 2009 FSEIS on the ground and in new
laws and policies at Federal, State and City levels. This documented
challenge to the City, State and Federal Highway Administration
(FHWA) calling for a new EIS process will be considered by the FHWA
in re-evaluation as required in federal law and regulation and
sets
the basis of possible subsequent federal court action. Already since
spring alleged errors in land taking procedures under State laws by
the City lead to the current suits before Chittenden Superior Court.
With
City representatives recently stating the project could be tied up in
courts for an unknown number of years, we respectfully request it is
in the interests of all to stop the Parkway now and start a new EIS.
This promises a far better result than the uncertain outcome of years
of litigation, increasingly likely to lead to a new EIS as time goes
on. This is the same contention put forth by the Coalition to
Federal Highway, Vermont Agency of Transportation and local officials
in meetings since early last year.
Finally,
the Pine Street Coalition respectfully requests your taking action
for a new EIS process at this juncture in favor of a quality and safe
roadway project. Such a decision promises not only a safe and
quality project, but financial savings and certain economic progress
for our neighborhood, the City of Burlington, our County and our
State.
Yours
truly,
Pine
Street Coalition
Tony
Redington - President
Charles Simpson - First Vice President
Jack Daggitt - Second Vice President
Steve
Goodkind - Treasurer
Ib Nar - Secretary
cc
Vermont Secretary of Transportation Joseph Flynn
Burlington
Mayor Miro Weinberger
Mathew
Hake, P.E., Vermont Division Administrator, FHWA
Members
of the Burlington City Council
