VTrans outlines municipal grant programs; Senate Transportation asks for performance data ahead of budget season

BURLINGTON, Vt. — At a Jan. 21 meeting of the Senate Transportation Committee, Joel Perrigo, municipal assistance program manager for the Vermont Agency of Transportation (VTrans), reviewed the agency's "Show Me the Money" guide and summarized the suite of municipal grant programs that support road maintenance, stormwater mitigation and bicycle-pedestrian projects.

Perrigo told senators the guide describes long-standing programs but acknowledged it is not updated every time program rules or funding change. "I do typically include [performance information] in budget testimony later on," Perrigo said, adding he would "take that note back" after committee members requested more program-level data before the agency delivers budget testimony.

The request for data followed questions from committee members about how well the programs are working and whether grant sizes keep pace with construction inflation. A committee member asked, "How do we know how we're doing? Have we seen a pickup in local programs?" and multiple senators pressed VTrans for application and award counts, project types funded, and whether award amounts have preserved purchasing power.

Why this matters: Senators said they want metrics on applicants, awards and project scope to inform budget deliberations. The committee asked for evidence that grants are producing compliance with the Municipal Roads General Permit (MRGP) and whether small towns can meet matching requirements and application timelines.

Key program details reported to the committee

- Better Roads Program: State-funded grants for erosion control and best management practices on gravel roads. Perrigo said the program's maximum award is $60,000 with a 20% local match. The program is commonly executed by municipal crews; some towns hire contractors.

- Grants-in-Aid (Clean Water-funded): Originating with the Clean Water Bill and later moved into VTrans administration, these small grants target MRGP compliance, especially on gravel roads. Perrigo said awards typically range from $5,000 to $40,000 and that roughly 230 to 240 municipalities participate each year.

- Bike & Ped and Transportation Alternatives (TA): Federally funded projects that typically require a 20% local match and full engineered plans for design and construction. Perrigo noted a small-state-funded category for minor sidewalk or crossing gap projects that carries a 50/50 split. The committee discussed that TA award guidelines historically capped awards near $300,000 but that IIJA funding temporarily raised that to $600,000; Jeremy, chief engineer at VTrans, said the higher level will sunset with IIJA and that some formula funds could be moved into TA under current federal rules.

- Municipal Highway & Stormwater Mitigation Program: Federally funded, engineered projects that address transportation runoff, culvert replacements and salt/sand shed construction. Perrigo said these projects are larger scale, require an 80/20 federal/local match and typically move through a multiyear project development process.

- Town Highway Bridge and Town Highway Structures programs: Bridge projects over 20 feet and other structural work are routed through established VTrans prioritization and project-selection processes. Perrigo said details for those programs are handled by other VTrans staff (Chad Greenwood was named as forthcoming testimony on these programs).

Other items raised by senators and municipal officials

- Application timing and local meeting schedules: A municipal official said some towns receive only about six weeks' notice to apply for certain programs, which can be insufficient when a selectboard meets monthly and requires time for scope and match approvals.

- Inflation and purchasing power: A committee member asked VTrans to show how grant amounts and awards have changed relative to inflation; the official record and senators cited anecdotal evidence that costs have risen markedly.

- Salt/sand sheds and maintenance: Senators and municipal officials described long delays and high costs for salt-shed projects in small towns. Perrigo cited Pittsfield as an example of a completed project and noted that many proposals seek more vertical construction (offices, equipment storage) than the mitigation funding is intended to cover.

- Mapping and classifications: Senators asked for the functional-classification map and clarification which town road classes are eligible for federal emergency relief and other funds; Perrigo said such maps exist and are publicly accessible.

- Compliance with the Municipal Roads General Permit: Perrigo said the Better Roads and Grants-in-Aid programs require completed work to result in compliance for the segments funded; he said VTrans includes compliance status in scoring for awards.

What the committee asked VTrans to do

The committee repeatedly asked VTrans to return before budget testimony with program-level metrics: counts of applicants and awards by program, typical project sizes and scopes, the share of projects that bring road segments into MRGP compliance, and analysis of award amounts relative to recent construction-inflation trends.

Perrigo and other VTrans staff agreed to provide the requested data and to coordinate testimony from related VTrans staff (including the chief engineer and the staff who administer town-bridge and class-2 paving programs).

No formal action or vote was taken during the hourlong discussion.

Ending: Committee members said the requested numbers will be important context for upcoming budget debates and budget testimony; VTrans staff said they will return with the information and additional program-specific examples and maps.