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CCRPC committee backs TIP amendment to add $671,479 for Burlington rail crossing
Summary
The Chittenden County RPC’s Executive & Finance Committee recommended approval of a FY2021 TIP amendment to add $671,479 in federal Section 130 funds for College Street rail crossing safety work in Burlington, citing an obligation deadline for TIGER IV grant funds; the recommendation passed unanimously.
The Chittenden County Regional Planning Commission’s Joint Executive & Finance Committee on Feb. 3 recommended approval of a FY2021 Transportation Improvement Program amendment to add $671,479 in federal Section 130 Rail Grade Crossing funds for the College Street rail crossing safety project in Burlington.
Charlie Baker, CCRPC executive director, told the committee the amendment (project RR006, amendment FY21‑16) would raise FY21 federal funding for the project to $1,571,479 — a 59.7% increase — because the Burlington Train Station platform work has been combined with the crossing under one contract. "There are TIGER IV grant funds associated with this contract and they need to be expended by Oct. 1, 2021," Baker said, noting VTrans is on a timeline to bid the project on Feb. 10, 2021.
Committee members asked about the sources of higher costs. Eleni Churchill, CCRPC transportation program manager, explained the work requires full‑depth reconstruction to address sub‑base contamination, extensive pedestrian safety features and additional roadway work on College Street. "It’s not just the railroad crossing," Churchill said; "we need to dig down to the sub‑base to extract contaminated soils and repave."
Andy Montroll moved and Chris Shaw seconded a motion to recommend approval of the TIP amendment; the committee approved the recommendation unanimously. Baker said the Section 130 funds are not subject to CCRPC’s fiscal constraint limit and stressed the time sensitivity tied to federal grant obligation deadlines.
Next steps: the committee’s recommendation goes to the Board for final action and to coordinate with VTrans so federal funds can be obligated before the grant deadline.
