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Community Development Projects

Crescent Connector

In 2015, the then Village Trustees endorsed a proposal to study pedestrianizing Main Street. This proposal was based upon a preliminary engineering analysis that showed wait times and traffic congestion throughout the village center could be dramatically reduced by routing Main Street traffic onto the Crescent Connector and converting Five Corners to a standard four-way intersection. Removing traffic from Main Street at the five-way intersection also reduces the lanes entering the intersection from 16 to 12 and provides more room and safety for pedestrians and bicyclists. It would also allow room to expand the size of Veterans Memorial Park and connect it to a pedestrian area.   

The Main Street closure concept is still entirely conceptual and must receive a thorough engineering and environmental analysis before further steps are taken. That analysis also requires the Crescent Connector to be completed first. If further analysis shows the Main Street concept is correct (it must clear many hurdles first), the City government would need to collaborate with downtown businesses to address the impacts before proceeding. For example, we would need to find a way to replace the parking spaces for Main Street businesses. That would require a long-range strategic planning program affecting other parts of the City center. All further actions on the Main Street pedestrianization concept can only occur once the Crescent Connector is in place. The City must initiate a comprehensive public outreach campaign if further analysis indicates a significant traffic benefit. 

Phase 1 of this project, which focused on railroad crossing improvements within the City core in 2022, is now complete. The second phase of the Crescent Connector Project will consist of constructing a new roadway connecting Park Street to Maple Street and a full-depth reconstruction of Railroad Street. Work will begin on May 15, 2023, with the preparation of the site with construction limit fencing and signage. Construction will begin in earnest on May 22, 2023, on Park Street. This project will impact Park Street, Main Street, and Maple Street at various times throughout the course of the construction. Moveable message boards will warn of street and lane closures. It will also include the installation of new traffic signals at Park Street and Maple Street. The project will include bike lanes and new sidewalks, and the entire route will have new street lights installed. Both phases of this project have been in development for the past 12 years, and the construction of Phase 2 will complete this long-term project. The estimated completion date of this project is November 2024.

Residents or businesses interested in receiving daily emails on the progress of the Crescent Connector Phase 2 Project can subscribe to the mailing list by emailing Rick Hamlin, City Engineer, at crescentconnectorphase2@ dlhce.com.

Corrective Action Plan Amendment Crescent Connector Roadway

Essex Junction Multimodal Station

With the restoration of Amtrak service, the City is proposing the need for an expanded and enhanced structure to serve Amtrak passengers at Vermont’s busiest train station. In 2015 the then Village worked with the Chittenden Regional Planning Commission (CCRPC) to propose a design that would offer an alternative and, as a result, have a shovel-ready project.  

While the outcome is uncertain, in May 2021, Essex Junction filed a request for funding through the Congressionally Direct Spending process. The $3 million request will allow the City to complete the Alternative #4 Amtrak train station design. The Alternative #4 design, selected from the 2016 study, is a “partial build option that would place a large open-trussed roof canopy sized to cover the flat-roofed station building and the train and bus loading areas. The roof is double pitched to recall the rooflines of classic train stations, a design with historical roots and the look of the former station located across Central Street to the north. 

Details of the 2016 study and Trustee/Council selection of Alternative #4 can be found at the CCRPC website: (https://www.ccrpcvt.org/our-work/transportation/current-projects/scoping/essex-junction-train-station-access-circulation-study/ ).

1 Main Street Park

In July 2022, the City surveyed residents to understand the community's opinion on the use and aesthetic of the "urban park" at Five Corners (1 Main Street) in Essex Junction. 

In August 2022, soil testing for the site was conducted, and it was found that the majority of the space was not contaminated to a severe degree, though portions would require remediation. 

On October 26, 2022, David Burton with Ginkgo Designs presented a conceptual design for the park to the City Council. The current design has multiple park entryways, fences and plantings, and multiple sources of shade (such as temporary shadings and a central pergola). The design also includes prominent features, such as multi-level seating areas, bike racks, trees, and the entrance to the Firebird Café.