Better Connections Study

The Town of Waterbury has been awarded $97,500 from the State of Vermont Better Connections Grant program.

This project aims to take initial steps towards improving the safety and accessibility of the Waterbury Center Village Center and surrounding area for drivers, pedestrians, bicyclists, and other vulnerable road users, by facilitating a community engagement and visioning process that identifies and proposes solutions to the lack of connectivity between the shops, services, residences and recreational assets. Despite being one of the most popular destinations in the state and one of Waterbury’s two growth centers, this area has virtually no accommodations for pedestrians, bicyclists, or those with mobility challenges - making it difficult and unsafe to navigate, even by vehicle.

Anticipated outcomes

Expected short-term outcomes include enabling the Town of Waterbury to hire transportation experts to: inventory existing conditions; conduct a community and stakeholder engagement process to create a shared vision; and propose a multi-modal transportation plan based on the community’s vision for the future. The conceptual plan will provide practical options for new wayfinding and signage; streetscape improvements and other traffic calming measures; stormwater treatment and green stormwater infrastructure; and ADA improvements and pedestrian accommodations. By including residents and stakeholders in this process, the Town will be able to leverage community buy-in and momentum to put the plan into action - thereby supporting economic and community vitality, environmental sustainability, and mixed-use development in the core of Waterbury Center.