NHS/Railway Corridors A Proposal for Cost Effective Enhancements Of the Rural Transportation Infrastructure May 2002 I. Introduction Tucked in the mountainous terrain of northern New England, Vermont has traditionally been home to rugged family farms, quarrying and manufacturing. And railroads. A major corridor connecting Boston, Montreal and Chicago, the western side of Vermont saw significant freight and passenger service from the mid 19th to mid 20th century. This traffic was channeled through switching yards in the cities of Rutland and Burlington. Rail service declined in the 1950’s and 1960’s as national attention shifted to interstate highways. Passenger rail service to Rutland ceased in 1953, not to be renewed until Amtrak launched the Ethan Allen Express in 1996. The Rutland railyard was redeveloped into a shopping center, and what little switching activity continued was relegated to a cramped, makeshift yard tucked between a downtown factory and a residential neighborhood. Today, use of rail is once again on the rise, both for freight and passengers. At the same time, redevelopment of Rutland’s older commercial and industrial districts is also under way. Unfortunately, the two strategies – expanded rail service and downtown redevelopment – are in direct conflict with each other geographically. In order for both to succeed, the rail yard must be moved. Rutland’s problem is a common one, shared by many communities across the state and region. Despite the trend toward service businesses – especially, in Vermont, toward tourism and recreation - the need to maintain a diversified economy is widely acknowledged. Vermont’s challenge is simply defined: to redevelop a competitive industrial base while responding to the growing public interest in smart growth and environmental conservation. Transportation is a major consideration. Western Vermont will never have an interstate highway. Construction costs are too high, environmental impacts too severe and the population base too small. Instead, the economic future of the region depends on the creative enhancement of the existing infrastructure. The infrastructure in question consists of a rail line and US Route 7, a highway of the National Highway System (NHS). The two run parallel for 150 miles from Bennington in the south to the Canadian border in the north. The rights-of-way for both rail and highway have existed for many generations. Land use patterns in towns and cities along this route were originally determined by the presence of Rt. 7 and the rail line, so upgrading NHS/Railway Corridors the existing routes will help to focus economic activity in traditional business centers. This paper examines the dynamics of NHS/Railway Corridors, defined by the presence of an existing rail line and a highway of the National Highway System running parallel in an area not served by an interstate highway. They are intended to improve accessibility using infrastructure already in place, provide a cost effective transportation system, and minimize impacts on communities along the route. Movement of freight and passengers are shared between the highway and the rail line as opportunities present themselves in communities along the corridor, blending intermodal development with smart growth. NHS/Railway Corridors are a cost effective, environmentally and socially responsible alternative to new highway construction in areas where construction of new highways is not feasible. II. The Western Vermont Corridor As a practical example of an NHS/Railway Corridor, this paper discusses the US Route 7/ Vermont Railway corridor in western Vermont, here referred to as the Western Vermont Corridor. Traversing Bennington, Rutland, Addison, Chittenden, Franklin and Grand Isle Counties, the corridor directly serves 334,257 Vermonters, 55 percent of the state’s population1. Both of the state’s largest incorporated cities – Burlington and Rutland – are situated along the route, as is the major retail center in Manchester. A significant academic community is located in the corridor, including Bennington College, Castleton State College, Green Mountain College, Middlebury College, St. Michael’s College and University of Vermont. With parking always at a premium on campuses, these colleges see the opportunity to encourage students to arrive by train rather than bringing automobiles. The Western Vermont Corridor is configured around several key projects: • Amtrak service from Albany, NY to Burlington via Bennington and Rutland. • Relocation of the Rutland and Burlington switching yards to allow expanded downtown development. • A series of highway improvements along US Rt. 7, including major projects in Brandon and Pittsford, and in Rutland City and Rutland Town. • Construction of a rail spur in Middlebury to serve the calcium carbonate quarry and reduce truck traffic in Brandon and Pittsford. 1 US Census 2000 figures reported on FedStats’ online statistics clearinghouse, MapStats; www.fedstats.gov Page 2 of 12 NHS/Railway Corridors While these were initially pursued as individual projects, all share common themes and serve each other’s purposes. Specifically, all are located along the corridor defined by US Rt. 7 and the Vermont Railway line. All seek to improve existing infrastructure to offset the lack of interstate highway access. All seek to maximize creative redevelopment of traditional town centers and established industrial districts, serving the objectives of smart growth. A closer look at the individual projects reveals their strategic importance. Passenger Rail Service While the interstate highways serve the eastern side of Vermont, most of the population centers are located in the west. Amtrak recently completed a study of alternatives for enhanced interstate passenger service2 and recommended a route running the length of the western side of the state, from Schenectady, NY serving Bennington, Manchester, Rutland, Middlebury and Burlington. The population centers and tourist destinations in Western Vermont are particularly vulnerable to competitive challenges from areas served by interstate highways. As the state’s economy becomes increasingly dependent on tourism, ease of access becomes more important. A skier in New York City can board an airplane and be in Utah in five hours. Unless that customer can reach Vermont resorts in a comparable timeframe, the business will go to Utah. Further, as the state works to attract high tech, communication-driven businesses, travel time to the major regional markets becomes a key competitive issue. Passenger service to New York will serve both purposes. With its potential for further connections into Canada, Vermont is a logical northern anchor for the northeast rail corridor. Railyard Relocation A 1999 study by the Vermont Agency of Transportation assessed possible relocation sites for both the Burlington and Rutland switching yards. In both cities, prime downtown properties are occupied by tracks, impeding development in the traditional growth centers. Also, the projected growth in freight traffic will soon surpass the capacity of the existing yards. If Vermont is to achieve its goal of shifting traffic to rail, the logistical problems of these railyards must be solved. A suitable site was identified in Rutland. Since 2000, conceptual design work and environmental assessments have been under way. The new site promises 2 See “Vermont Western Corridor Study, Final Report” prepared by National Railroad Passenger Corporation (AMTRAK), December 1, 2001. Page 3 of 12 NHS/Railway Corridors many benefits: switching capacity will increase, the switching function will be removed from the downtown, a new access road will reduce congestion on US Route 7, a major gateway corridor into downtown Rutland will be improved, and multiple redevelopment sites will become available in the traditional business districts adjacent to downtown. Relocating the railyard will eliminate a major grade crossing that would impede passenger service. All in all, this is smart growth at its best. Highway Improvements The increased flow of interstate truck traffic is exacerbating already congested conditions in several smaller towns along the corridor, most notably Brandon, Pittsford and Middlebury. Accident – and fatality – rates are high in this area. A coalition of citizens, local elected officials, state legislators and the state transportation agency has proposed a program to upgrade selected sections of the highway and study the feasibility of local bypasses. Further south, Rutland City and Rutland Town have teamed up with the state to propose a series of upgrades to the Route 4 and 7 corridors in the Rutland area. This project was undertaken when the state canceled a bypass proposal for cost and environmental considerations. In both projects the emphasis is on improving the existing highway in an area not served by an interstate. In Rutland the proposal highlights the relationship between the highway project and the rail improvement: the access road proposed to serve the new railyard will also divert significant truck traffic from the most congested segment of US Rt. 7. Middlebury Spur This project clearly illustrates the intermodal potential of the corridor. In Middlebury, a major commercial shipper is stymied in achieving full production capacity because stone quarried in Middlebury must be trucked through Brandon to reach the plant that processes it into calcium carbonate slurry. Citing aesthetics, state permits limit the shipper to 115 trucks per day on US Rt. 7 through the town;