The City of Essex Junction is considering significant changes to Park Street, between Railroad Street (the Crescent Connector) and River Street, to improve safety and connectivity for everyone using the road. The Park Street Complete Streets Improvements project will work with the current street width and aims to solve transportation challenges for drivers, cyclists, and pedestrians.
Park Street serves as a crucial link between Essex Junction and Williston, connecting local businesses and neighborhoods. Despite its importance, current conditions along this stretch present safety and accessibility issues. The City has identified several improvements to address these concerns:
- Adding bicycle lanes to fill a gap in the local network
- Calming traffic by narrowing travel lanes
- Maintaining safe conditions for all users
To reach these goals, the City is looking at three new ways to stripe (paint the lines on) the street:
- Alternative 0: Maintain existing conditions
- Alternative 1: Remove all on-street parking to provide bicycle lanes with comfortable safety buffers
- Alternative 2: Remove parking only on the east side to provide bicycle lanes with modest buffers
These changes follow recommendations from major City plans, like the Connect the Junction TOD Master Plan (2025), and the Essex Bike & Pedestrian Plan (2015). Speed study results from 2025, and feedback from the Essex Police Department, also show the need to slow down traffic on Park Street.
Community input is essential for shaping the final decision. Residents and stakeholders are encouraged to review the detailed information on the project webpage at https://www.essexjunction.org/departments/community-development/park-street-complete-streets-improvements and complete the online survey at https://forms.office.com/r/CFgVC9RAiJ.
Additionally, the public can participate in the Bike/Walk Advisory Committee meeting on Monday, April 13, at 7 PM, either in person at 2 Lincoln St or remotely via Zoom.
No decisions on the three proposed alternatives have been made yet, and public feedback will directly inform the City Council’s planning process. For questions or more information about the project, contact Michael Giguere, City Planner, at (802) 878-6944 ext. 1625 or mgiguere@essexjunction.org.