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Jericho’s 10-year MRGP plan prioritizes ditch work as main cost driver, consultants tell TAC
Summary
Consultants presented Jericho’s 10-year Municipal Roads General Permit plan to the CCRPC Transportation Advisory Committee, saying ditch repairs drive costs and the town’s schedule through 2029 fits the 2036 MRGP compliance window; presenters said maintenance funding will be set aside annually.
Consultants from Fitzgerald Environmental Associates outlined a 10-year Municipal Roads General Permit (MRGP) improvement plan for the Town of Jericho at the Chittenden County Regional Planning Commission Transportation Advisory Committee meeting on Oct. 6, 2020.
Evan Fitzgerald and Evelyn Boardman said they used road erosion inventory data to develop town-specific prioritization criteria and unit costs, and they deliberately kept cost assumptions conservative. The consultants said ditch-repair costs are the primary driver of overall program costs and that the plan schedules work through 2029, which the presenters noted sits within the MRGP compliance deadline of 2036.
Committee members asked about longevity and maintenance. Maria Rinaldi asked how long improvements would last and how priorities were determined; Boardman said longevity depends on weather and maintenance, noting that stone ditches ‘‘could last about five to ten years’’ under typical conditions. Joss Besse asked about budget implications for maintenance over a ten-year horizon; Fitzgerald said the town plans to set aside funds each year for both maintenance and upgrades and will adjust annual budgets as needed.
Fitzgerald and Boardman also emphasized that the plan allows flexibility to adjust project timing based on the Town’s annual budget and that their prioritization balanced available funding with water-quality screening results.
The consultants told the TAC the MRGP plan’s timeframe and conservative cost assumptions aim to keep Jericho on a path to compliance while preserving flexibility for municipal budgeting decisions.
The TAC received the presentation as an informational item and did not take a formal vote on the plan at this meeting.
