VERMONT FREIGHT & RAIL PLAN DATA COLLECTION & SUBMITTED BY CAMBRIDGE SYSTEMATICS EXISTING CONDITIONS VANASSE HANGEN BRUSTLIN, INC. MAY 2021 FITZGERALD & HALLIDAY INC. Data Collection & Existing Conditions TABLE OF CONTENTS 1.0 Introduction ................................................................................................................................................. 1 2.0 The Role of Rail in Statewide Transportation ............................................................................................ 3 2.1 Multimodal Transportation System Goals ...................................................................................................................... 4 2.2 Rail Transportation’s Role within the State’s Transportation System ................................................................... 6 2.3 Institutional Governance Structure of State’s Rail Programs ............................................................................... 10 2.4 State’s Authority ................................................................................................................................................................... 11 2.5 Freight and Passenger Rail Services, Initiatives and Plans – Summary ............................................................. 12 2.5.1 Projects Since 2015 Vermont Rail Plan ............................................................. 12 2.5.2 Rail Projects in 2020-2023 State Transportation Improvement Program 17 2.5.3 Rail Projects in VTrans Capital Programs ......................................................... 18 2.5.4 Review of Rail Plans from Neighboring States .............................................. 18 3.0 The State’s Rail System – Existing Conditions .......................................................................................... 23 3.1 The State’s Existing Rail System: Description and Inventory ................................................................................ 23 3.1.1 Overview ...................................................................................................................... 23 3.1.2 Existing Passenger Services .................................................................................. 29 3.1.3 Vermont’s Tourist Trains ........................................................................................ 33 3.1.4 Abandoned, Out of Service, Rail-Banked, and Embargoed Lines ........... 33 3.1.5 Multimodal Connections ....................................................................................... 34 3.1.6 Intercity Passenger Service Objectives ............................................................. 38 3.1.7 Intercity Passenger Rail Performance Evaluation .......................................... 38 3.1.8 Public Financing of Rail .......................................................................................... 44 3.1.9 Safety and Security Programs and Projects .................................................... 51 3.1.10 Economic and Environmental Impacts ............................................................. 65 3.2 Trends and Forecasts .......................................................................................................................................................... 76 3.3 Rail Service Needs and Opportunities .......................................................................................................................... 77 3.3.1 Infrastructure ............................................................................................................. 77 3.3.2 Equipment................................................................................................................... 87 4.0 Highway Modal Profile .............................................................................................................................. 89 4.1 Inventory ................................................................................................................................................................................. 89 4.1.1 National Highway System ..................................................................................... 92 VERMONT FREIGHT & RAIL PLANS (05/11/2021) i Data Collection & Existing Conditions 4.1.2 National Highway Freight Network ................................................................... 94 4.1.3 Oversize/Overweight Trucks and Permits ....................................................... 96 4.1.4 Intelligent Transportation Systems .................................................................... 97 4.1.5 Truck Parking ........................................................................................................... 101 4.2 Volumes and Users ............................................................................................................................................................ 106 4.3 Infrastructure Condition .................................................................................................................................................. 115 4.3.1 Pavement Condition.............................................................................................. 115 4.3.2 Bridge Conditions .................................................................................................. 117 4.4 Safety ...................................................................................................................................................................................... 119 4.4.1 Highway Safety Overview .................................................................................... 119 4.4.2 Truck Involved Crashes ........................................................................................ 119 4.4.3 Autonomous Vehicles ........................................................................................... 121 5.0 Air Modal Profile ...................................................................................................................................... 126 5.1 Overview ................................................................................................................................................................................ 126 5.2 Burlington International Airport and Rutland-Southern Vermont Regional Airport ................................. 128 5.3 Unmanned Aircraft Systems ........................................................................................................................................... 130 6.0 Water Modal Profile ................................................................................................................................ 132 VERMONT FREIGHT & RAIL PLANS (05/11/2021) ii Data Collection & Existing Conditions LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1.1 Vermont Freight and Rail Plan Elements ........................................................................................................................ 1 Figure 2.1 Goods Movement Service Spectrum ................................................................................................................................ 7 Figure 2.2 Vermont Population Within 10 Miles and 30 Miles of an Amtrak Station (2020) ............................................ 9 Figure 2.3 VTrans Policy, Planning and Intermodal Development Division Organizational Chart .............................. 11 Figure 3.1 Vermont Freight Rail Network ......................................................................................................................................... 24 Figure 3.2 Vermont Passenger Rail Lines ......................................................................................................................................... 25 Figure 3.3 Regional Freight Rail Network ......................................................................................................................................... 26 Figure 3.4 Vermont Transload Facilities ............................................................................................................................................ 36 Figure 3.5 Amtrak Ridership (FFY2013-2019) ................................................................................................................................. 39 Figure 3.6 Amtrak Ridership by Station (FFY2013, 2017-2019) ................................................................................................ 40 Figure 3.7 Causes of Delay for Vermonter and Ethan Allen Express, Q3 FFY2019 .............................................................. 43 Figure 3.8 Vermont Transportation Budget Expenditure Plan .................................................................................................. 51 Figure 3.9 Vermont At Grade Crossing Protection Categories ................................................................................................. 55 Figure 3.10 Vermont Highway-Rail Crossings ............................................................................................................................ 56 Figure 3.11 Vermont At-Grade Crossing and Equipment Incidents (2015-2019) .......................................................... 57 Figure 3.12 Passenger Fatality Rates 2009-2018 – Fatalities per 100 Million Passenger Miles ................................ 67 Figure 3.13 Average Per-Passenger Fuel Economy by Travel Mode .................................................................................. 69 Figure 3.14 Vermont Regional Planning Commissions