VTrans describes local-road safety grant program; awarded 38 towns nearly $1 million

MONTPELIER, Vt. — The Vermont Agency of Transportation on Feb. 5 told the Senate Transportation Committee it has piloted a locally focused road-safety grant program funded entirely by federal Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP) dollars and plans another solicitation after assessing the first round.

Jesse Devlin, VTrans safe systems manager in the Operations and Safety Bureau, said the initial solicitation awarded grants to 38 municipalities totaling close to $1 million, with individual awards ranging from $5,000 to $35,000 and no local match required. "These grants were funded at 100% federal, no local match or contribution," Devlin said, describing categories such as curve warning signage, intersection signage, crash‑worthy (breakaway) signposts, removal of fixed roadside hazards and pavement‑marking improvements.

The program grew from VTrans’ long‑running high‑risk rural projects, Devlin said, which screen crash data and risk factors and bundle small sites for larger contracts. He said two statewide high‑risk rural projects will be under construction this coming season and that the statewide work will result in improvements in 36 communities.

Devlin and committee members discussed program constraints that affected participation. Devlin said federal requirements tied to HSIP funds — including clearances, utility and right‑of‑way work, and procurement competition — made some municipal executions burdensome. He also cited contractor availability and small quantities for tasks such as pavement markings as reasons some awarded municipalities did not advance construction. Devlin said VTrans is closing out the first round, compiling feedback on application and administration challenges, and will make modest changes before a second solicitation.

Committee members pressed on program flexibility and priorities. Senator White suggested linking the grant categories to Safe Routes to School work and local pedestrian crash trends. "I would be interested in knowing what are the accidents that we are experiencing because that changes year to year," Senator White said, urging VTrans to consider pedestrian safety and encouragement of walking to school even where crash totals are low.

Committee members also asked about FY2026 funding. Devlin said the local grants are paid from HSIP funding within VTrans’ traffic and safety program and referenced a line-item identified as HSIP print 17; he stated, "So for FY '26, it is 1.25" (the transcript did not specify units). The agency said it would provide the committee a list of projects that used HSIP funding and additional framework language on federal requirements.

The committee asked whether electronic speed signs or mobile units could be covered; Devlin said electronic speed signs were not part of the first solicitation and that, historically, municipalities have installed and maintained such signs themselves. He also noted that rapid rectangular flashing beacons have been installed in some school zones as part of high‑risk road projects.

Devlin said VTrans wants the program to be quick and affordable to get safety improvements on the ground while ensuring the work addresses serious and fatal crash risks. He emphasized that work to remove or mitigate fixed roadside hazards targets objects close to the pavement that increase the severity of run‑off‑road crashes, not wholesale clearing of scenic tree lines. "This is more focused on those situations where there's those large trees that are right next to the roadway," Devlin said, adding the projects seek space for recovery before a vehicle strikes a fixed object.

Next steps indicated in the hearing: VTrans will finish close‑out of the initial awards, document the barriers municipalities encountered, consider additional eligible categories (including school‑focused measures), and plan a second solicitation. The committee did not take a formal vote during the hearing; members requested further documentation on funded projects and program framework.

The discussion highlighted two practical barriers to rapid municipal uptake: federal administrative requirements tied to HSIP funds and limited contractor capacity for small, distributed tasks. Lawmakers urged VTrans to consider program design changes such as aggregated or regionalized procurement and clearer guidance to make the grants feasible for smaller towns.

Devlin said VTrans will compile details for the committee and return with adjustments before issuing another solicitation, aiming to preserve the program’s federal funding source while increasing municipal participation and on‑the‑ground safety improvements.