Secretary Joe Flynn told the Senate Transportation Committee on January 13 that the Agency of Transportation has delivered a string of infrastructure accomplishments, from major bridge work to rail and electric vehicle charging stations, and is poised to begin construction on a FEMA‑assisted central garage rebuild.

"We moved the payment... 29 bridge projects were finished were done started and finished last year," Flynn said in his opening remarks, noting rapid progress on rail bridges and improvements in overall bridge condition. Flynn said the agency now has most of its rail bridges at national condition standards, a marked improvement from roughly a decade ago.

The update covered multiple large projects the agency manages as combined efforts rather than single construction jobs. Flynn described a complex interchange project (Route 2/7 and associated ramps and bridge work) that required coordinating utilities and traffic management around heavy daily vehicle volumes. He also highlighted a recently opened district facility near Exit 1 in St. Albans with EV charging and sustainability features.

On emergency recovery, Flynn told the committee the agency has reached a settlement with the Federal Emergency Management Agency. "We have reached a settlement with FEMA. We've agreed to it," he said, and described the federal offer as in the "low 20 millions of dollars." Flynn said some hazard-mitigation funds are not usable for the build but that the low bid to construct the new central garage came in under the guaranteed money the state had programmed. He added that the agency expects to sign a contract within days and that the contractor believes the building can be completed in about 12 months.

The agency also reported progress under the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) program. Flynn said the team obligated the full $21,000,000 to add 19 locations across Vermont, with some locations offering multiple plugs for fast charging. Flynn noted that a number of the EV incentives prioritized low-income Vermonters: "79% of the funding went to lower income Vermonters based on the metrics that were set forth in the language."

Flynn emphasized that rail projects typically rely on grant funding rather than formula money and can require sustained federal engagement. He said state-owned rail is FEMA-eligible for emergency funding while privately owned segments are not.

The agency offered to return with additional details on project prioritization and said it will provide copies of the presentation slides that were discussed. The committee signaled interest in follow-up testimony on how projects are selected for programming and funding.