Regional Park-and‑Ride plan update flags capacity, access and security issues; public comments due Sept. 23

Consultant Jonathan Slason of RSG presented an update to the Chittenden County Regional Park‑and‑Ride Plan to the Transportation Advisory Committee on Sept. 6, saying the plan’s facility inventory includes 10 lots inside the county and four outside and that formal action on the plan is expected at the TAC’s October meeting.

The presentation laid out recommended attributes for Park‑and‑Ride facilities — EV charging, transit shelters, wifi, bike lockers, lighting and improved walk/bike/transit access — and urged the committee to consider how lots function in context rather than rely only on strict labels. Slason also described a “parking continuum” between intercept lots and classic Park‑and‑ride facilities and recommended planning around function and surrounding land uses.

Why it matters: Park‑and‑ride sites affect weekday commuters and weekend recreational users, shaping where people park, access transit and make last‑mile connections. Facility design, security and multimodal access influence whether local residents will use a site.

Committee discussion focused on specific sites and near‑term concerns. Members and staff raised that Richmond’s Exit 11 lot was described in the presentation as "near or at capacity," though Slason noted usage patterns may have shifted since the data were compiled. Marshall Distel said discussions with VTrans are underway about a potential facility at Jasper Mine Road to serve different travelers than the Rt. 7/Exit 17 site. Jonathon Weber and others asked about low‑cost or legacy lots such as the Ferry Road site in Charlotte; Slason said such lots can be useful but sometimes are blocked off or lack security. VTrans’ Dave Pelletier added that the Charlotte lot was blocked because of behavior issues.

Several members asked whether multi‑purpose town parking could be counted as Park‑and‑Ride capacity. Dierdre Holmes said Charlotte’s new town garage (on the former flea market site) could include Park‑and‑Ride parking; Slason agreed to follow up offline with Charlotte staff to explore options and clarify how multi‑use spaces might be counted.

The presentation identified a Taft Corners site being studied as part of town planning (a CCRPC FY23 project) and noted the plan recommends no action at present for a potential lot on US‑7 south of I‑189 in South Burlington. Consultants recommended CCRPC lead a data‑monitoring effort that would track multiple data sources over time to better understand where parking demand is growing and to inform short‑ and long‑range planning.

The TAC was asked to submit comments on the draft by Sept. 23 so staff can address them in the next version; the TAC is scheduled to be asked to take formal action on the plan in October. The presentation, including the facility inventory and recommended attributes, is posted on the TAC webpage.

Next steps: TAC members provide comments by Sept. 23; staff and consultants will incorporate feedback and return a draft for action in October.