Committee hears overview of Vermont welcome centers, examines Highgate border site for new northwest facility

Buildings and General Services Commissioner Wanda Manoli told the House Transportation Committee on March 20 that Vermont operates a network of 16 welcome and information centers that collectively handle millions of visits and serve tourism, highway safety and commercial-vehicle needs.

The committee heard a detailed overview of how the centers are run and funded, data on visitation and site features, and preliminary work by the Agency of Transportation on a possible northwest welcome center near the Highgate border crossing. Agency of Transportation project delivery director Rob White described the federal funding constraints that limit commercial use of interstate land, and Franklin County Industrial Development Corporation director Tim Smith urged action to capture expected traffic increases when the new Canadian highway link is completed.

Manoli said the information centers are intended to serve travelers year‑round, to support commercial-vehicle enforcement and to promote Vermont communities and businesses. “We really focus on that strongly, because the goal is to direct them to Vermont’s communities and all of the activities,” she said. She described the Guilford center as a strong local partnership that highlights regional arts and businesses and functions as an economic driver for its area.

The presentation included operational and financial details: Manoli said Vermont counted about 3 million visits to the centers before the pandemic and recorded roughly 2.5 million visits in 2024. She said the current operating budget request is about $5.6 million, “about 4.5 of that comes from the transportation bill dollars, 700,000 is general fund, and then we have special funds,” and that special funds include the brochure program and other small receipts. She also said Montpelier’s facility remains closed after flood damage and that operations vary site to site.

Committee members probed specific questions that staff agreed to return with answers for. Members asked whether welcome‑center properties have EV charging and whether Level 3 chargers would be allowed on interstate‑controlled parcels. Manoli said some sites have chargers but that she did not have site‑by‑site data on hand and would follow up. White said federal rules tied to interstate‑specific funds are “much more restrictive” and that charging infrastructure that requires paid commercial activity on interstate property raises legal and funding questions. “To have a company come in and put chargers in and charge money for it … that’s not acceptable on us,” he said, while noting possible public–private partnership approaches that would require further legal review.

On a northwest welcome center, White summarized a limited administrative study the agency conducted over several years. The study examined several candidate sites between Exit 21 and the Canadian border, including a southern portion of the federal General Services Administration (GSA)–owned Derringer parcel near the interchange. White said the Derringer parcel rose to the top in the agency’s screening but that discussions with GSA, and concerns by the Agency of Natural Resources about adjacent state land and public access, left the work at an informal stage. “Secretary Flynn sent a letter to GSA … saying that there’s some things in that area that we’d like to sort of talk further with you on,” White said.

Tim Smith, who leads the regional development corporation and serves as mayor of St. Albans City, urged the committee to pursue a northwest welcome center, citing expected traffic growth from an AutoRoute 35 connection in Canada and potential rural‑economic benefits. “Highgate is the only thoroughfare into Vermont that doesn’t have a welcome center,” he said, and noted grant opportunities such as Northern Border Regional Commission funding for timber‑framed construction that local partners could pursue.

Members also raised data and accuracy questions in real time: a representative pointed to discrepancies between slides showing site‑level visitation numbers and Manoli acknowledged the committee needed clarifying data and said staff would validate which slide is correct. Manoli and White agreed to return with specifics on EV charging, the brochure program participant count, the Montpelier rebuild plan and any site‑by‑site maintenance or capital needs.

The presenters and members emphasized partnerships. Manoli described operating and design partnerships with regional chambers and local arts councils that place displays in centers without charge. White described interagency coordination required where land is owned by different entities and where GSA holds property at the border crossings.

No formal action or vote was taken during the presentation. Committee members repeatedly requested follow‑up information and more precise data before any project decision; staff said the northwest center effort remains an informal administrative study rather than a listed capital project.

Looking ahead, staff committed to provide the committee with clarified visitation numbers, a site‑by‑site accounting of EV charging and a fuller description of current funding sources and capital funding channels if the committee wants to pursue a future project request.

For background: the presentation said Vermont’s welcome/information facilities vary in hours, staffing and governance (some sites are operated in partnership with local chambers), and that federal transportation funds have historically funded construction and major repairs while BGS operates day‑to‑day functions under an agreement with the Agency of Transportation.