The Towns of Rutland and West Rutland will be jointly sponsoring the first of several public work sessions focusing on potential improvements to the Route 4A/Business Route 4 corridor between the two towns. The first session is scheduled to take place on Monday, Aug. 31 at 6:30 p.m. in the West Rutland town auditorium.
The project is funded by a joint grant program between the Vermont Agency of Transportation and the Vermont Department of Housing and Community Development, along with local funds contributed by both towns. As described by the towns, the study will:
“… integrate (future) land use and transportation along a major regional and local road, addressing safety and multi-modal travel, by connecting and strengthening activity centers. This integrated transportation plan will provide increased mobility for all users as well as encourage well-planned and sustainable growth along this area. This smart growth connection plan will identify short and long term goals related to transportation improvements, streetscape enhancements, redevelopment scenarios and business development opportunities.”
In addition to the transportation and future land use recommendations, the Towns have expressed a strong interest in “connecting and strengthening activity centers.”
In particular, they note that the overall study will include a market analysis that will provide a detailed market snapshot of the current market conditions in each activity center (West Rutland and Rutland Town), identify gaps, retail leakage and opportunities for new development, retail and office opportunities, and provide the overall market condition for each activity center and the entire study area.
The towns have created a steering committee to help guide the work. The steering committee includes local land and business owners in the corridor from both towns, along with elected officials, town staff, regional staff, and state representatives. The steering committee is being assisted in the work by hired consultants.
So far, the steering committee and the consultants have done an exhaustive review of existing conditions to make sure that all aspects of the Vermont Route 4A/Business Route 4 Corridor in both towns are understood.
The first work session will focus on understanding local issues and concerns and will allow local residents and business people the chance to provide input on what they think the issues are and what might help improve the area.
Residents and members of the public are encouraged to come to the first public work session to learn about existing conditions, talk about the issues and discuss what might make sense for the future.
Local food providers will be on hand to offer samples of their goods, as well.
To view a summary of the existing conditions and the overall issues that have been identified to date, please visit the Broadreach Planning & Design website: www.broadreachpd.com and go to Projects/Current and then West Rutland-Rutland Town Smart Growth Connection Plan.
