BURLINGTON, Vt. (WCAX) – The Circumferential Highway was envisioned back in the 1950s as a way to move Vermonters and traffic around Chittenden County. So what became of the state-owned land after most of the project was abandoned?
Conceptualized over 70 years ago, the Circ, gained momentum as IBM employed thousands at their Essex Junction plant.
Jersey barriers along Route 2 in Williston today are a physical reminder of the long process of the project which in the end couldn’t overcome environmental barriers. After overcoming numerous legal and permitting battles, only a four-and-a-half mile section of the highway — Route 289 in Essex — finally opened in the early ‘90s. From above it’s easy to see where the road would have crossed south over the Winooski River, through Williston, and connected to I-89.
In 2011, Governor Peter Shumlin announced that the Circ was not moving forward and the state would instead build alternative projects, including widening roads and new stoplights. But state documents show that VTrans still owns over 1,300 acres where the massive highway was envisioned. So what’s the state doing with that land and could the Circ make a comeback as Chittenden County continues to grow?
“I hear it a lot. — ‘Is the Circ dead?’ The Circ is dead — long live the Circ type of thing. It’s dead for now,” said VTrans’ Rob White.
The land sits largely unused besides Vermont Gas pipelines, grassland, and adjacent to private properties.
“We see our fair share of traffic in Williston, like in other communities,” said Williston Town Manager Erik Wells. But he says the community doesn’t have any active ongoing talks with VTrans to revive the idea. But as they build their seven-year strategic plan, Wells says the Circ corridor could play a role decades out as a bike trail or even a small road. “Taking a holistic approach and thinking what’s the best use of something like that as you think about future infrastructure. It’s not going to be a major highway anymore. What’s the best use for that.”
Wells says the state fought hard to obtain the right of way but has no immediate plans for it. But if there were, he says it could be for some kind of multi-modal path. “Because we did use state and federal transportation funds, and so that is our initial purview. But we’re open to other public uses as well,” he said.
While the Circ may be dead, other longtime Chittenden County traffic plans like the Champlain Parkway are finally moving forward.