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VTrans structures program outlines $161.2M bridge budget, flags big cost increases on several projects
Summary
Vermont Agency of Transportation structures staff told the House Transportation Committee the 2026 structures program totals about $161.2 million across interstate, state and town bridge programs and highlighted projects showing large cost increases in the agency’s 10‑G reports.
Carolyn Hoda, structures program manager at the Vermont Agency of Transportation, told the House Transportation Committee on Jan. 29 that the agency’s structures (bridges) program for fiscal year 2026 totals roughly $161.2 million and includes projects funded across the interstate, state and town bridge programs.
Hoda gave line‑item breakdowns: the Interstate Bridge Program was shown at about $45 million (including $42.2 million federal plus a $3.3 million TIB bond piece); a State Highway Bridge category listed roughly $61.8 million of federal funds plus roughly $4.6 million from the T Fund and about $10.2 million from TIP; and the Town Highway Bridge Program showed about $31.7 million federal, $3.6 million in TIB bond funds and roughly $2.5 million of local shares. Hoda said the structures program had 159 projects funded in the book, including 26 emergency projects and about 70 projects funded for construction.
Hoda explained the book’s 10‑G reports, which flag: projects appearing in the white book for the first time; projects being removed because they are complete; and projects that have seen major estimate changes. She highlighted several large cost increases that appear on the 10‑G expanded costs lists: a Colchester exit‑17 project increased about $8.2 million after bidding; a Hartford deck project increased about $1.8 million when additional joint replacements were added; and a Springfield CMGC project’s estimate grew by roughly $22 million between earlier estimates and the latest contract estimate. Hoda and the chief engineer explained that some increases reflect inflation and changing site conditions discovered during design and that part of the growth on CMGC and similar projects can be spread over multiple fiscal years.
Committee members asked about the department’s process for updating estimates and how much the agency can absorb when costs rise after projects enter construction. Hoda said VTrans has added a data analyst focused on inflation factors and that program managers are applying updated cost factors where feasible. The committee asked whether the department’s share of increased costs is the agency’s percentage or the total project increase; staff confirmed the $22 million increase was a total project change and that the agency’s approximate 10% share would be about $2.2 million.
Hoda said the department is actively using preservation and maintenance (“BM”) projects to keep older bridges serviceable while larger replacements move through design. She also described the Accelerated Bridge Construction program’s results since 2012 (116 projects, $224 million construction cost, 96% on‑time openings).
