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VTrans seeks TAC feedback on freight and rail plan updates, deadline Dec. 11
Summary
VTrans staff presented updates to a detailed Rail Plan and a higher-level Freight Plan, invited Chittenden County input on six goals and 21 initiatives by Dec. 11, and said the plans will guide project programming and be submitted to FHWA in early 2026.
Zoe Neaderland of the Vermont Agency of Transportation updated the Chittenden County Regional Planning Commission’s Transportation Advisory Committee (TAC) on work to refresh the state Rail Plan and Freight Plan, saying Federal Railroad Administration comments on the Rail Plan are expected in coming weeks. The Freight Plan, required by the Federal Highway Administration, is framed as a higher-level policy document that will guide VTrans coordination with regional planning commissions and feed into the long-range transportation plan.
Neaderland asked TAC members for feedback on the Freight Plan’s six goals and 21 initiatives and invited comments by Dec. 11. She said the plan will be submitted to FHWA in January or February, and that rail projects generally need to be included in the Rail Plan to be considered for programming. TAC members discussed potential collaboration with rail operators to identify priority industrial sites for preservation or reuse; Neaderland said she will meet with Vermont Rail System to explore interest in site reuse.
Committee members raised questions about nonrail modes and infrastructure. Bruce Hoar asked about a goal that mentioned water transportation infrastructure, since Lake Champlain currently hosts little freight traffic; Neaderland noted trucks use the ferry to cross the lake and that the Champlain Canal to the Hudson River has been dredged in the past, though she was not aware of current plans to resume freight movement by canal. The group also discussed trends in e-commerce, funding constraints for transportation, and the importance of protecting airspace around airports.
TAC members asked about planning assumptions for emerging technologies. Eliana Fox inquired about the plan’s autonomous vehicle initiative; Dave Pelletier (VTrans) called that element a placeholder intended to keep the plan ready if and when AVs become more prevalent. Neaderland added that autonomous trucking is being tested in Texas and VTrans is working on electrification research and cross-border coordination for EV charging.
Next steps: VTrans will post the draft freight and rail materials online and invited formal TAC comments by Dec. 11. For more information, Neaderland directed members to the VTrans rail and freight plan webpages.
