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S 287VERMONTSession 2025-2026State Billin committee

Vermont establishes study committee to examine building a self-funding limited-access highway replacing Route 22A

Original title: An act relating to studying the construction of a self-funding limited access highway replacing Route 22A and linking Burlington, Vergennes, Middlebury, and Rutland to Interstate 87

Last action · January 21, 2026: Read 1st time & referred to Committee on TransportationSponsors: David Weeks and 9 others

Bill progressHistory & official text ↓

Introduced

Committee

Floor Vote

Passed

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What This Bill Would Do

Vermont lawmakers introduced a bill to create a study committee that will examine the feasibility, route options, construction costs, and funding mechanisms for a new connecting Burlington, Vergennes, Middlebury, and Rutland to Interstate 87 while replacing Route 22A. The committee must submit its findings and recommendations in a written report by January 15, 2027.

Why it matters

Establishes a formal legislative study group comprising state and municipal officials to evaluate large-scale infrastructure investments and potential toll financing or s along the western Vermont corridor, with meetings starting by September 2026 and concluding by February 2027.

Who It Would Affect

Groups the bill's text would affect if enacted, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.

Directly affected

Agency of Transportation

The Agency must provide administrative, technical, and legal assistance to the study committee and fund member per diems and expense reimbursements.

Directly affected

Residents of central-west and northwest Vermont

The committee will evaluate potential new highway routes, economic impacts, and toll mechanisms that could alter transportation infrastructure in their region.

Key Facts

You don't have to trust us. Each fact below is taken straight from the official document - click any one to see the exact passage, highlighted in the original.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the main goal of the study committee created by S.287?

The committee is tasked with examining the potential for constructing a new that would connect Burlington, Vergennes, Middlebury, and Rutland to Interstate 87, serving as a replacement for Vermont Route 22A.

Who serves on the Interstate 22A Limited Access Highway Study Committee?

The 11-member committee includes the Secretary of Transportation (or designee), two House members from different parties, two Senate members from different parties, the Mayor of Burlington, the Chair of the South Burlington City Council, the Mayor of Vergennes, the Chair of the Middlebury Selectboard, the Mayor of Rutland, and one appointee from each of the Chittenden, Addison, and Rutland regional planning commissions.

When must the committee report its findings?

The committee must submit its written report and recommendations to the General Assembly on or before January 15, 2027, and the committee will dissolve on February 15, 2027.

What else do you want to know?

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Where This Stands

Currently in committee. The next step in the legislative lifecycle is Floor Vote.

Procedural history

1 action

Jan 21, 2026SenateIntroduced
Read 1st time & referred to Committee on Transportation

Version history

Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.

View official text →

Lobbying Activity

No state lobbying filings in our records match this bill. Federal lobbying reports (LDA) cover Congress, so they are not listed on state bills.

Full breakdown

Who this bill affects and the strongest case for and against it, written only from the bill’s own text.

Discoveries

1 pattern noticed across the record

Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.

temporal pattern99% confidence

Short Committee Lifespan

The study committee has a compressed operational timeline of less than six months, convening by September 1, 2026, reporting by January 15, 2027, and dissolving completely on February 15, 2027.

Interstate 22A Limited Access Highway Study Committee

Connected Entities

Rutland Regional Planning Commission, South Burlington, Rutland and 8 more

OrganizationRutland Regional Planning Commission“Appoints a member to the study committee”Map →

locationSouth Burlington“Municipality represented by its City Council Chair on the committee”Map →

locationRutland“Population and economic center connected in the study”Map →

locationVergennes“Population and economic center connected in the study”Map →

locationBurlington“Population and economic center connected in the study”Map →

locationMiddlebury“Population and economic center connected in the study”Map →

OrganizationAddison County Regional Planning Commission“Appoints a member to the study committee”Map →

OrganizationAgency of Transportation“Provides administrative, technical, and legal assistance to the committee and fu”Map →

OrganizationInterstate 22A Limited Access Highway Study Committee“Committee created by the bill to examine highway construction”Map →

OrganizationGeneral Assembly of the State of Vermont“Legislative body enacting the bill”Map →

OrganizationChittenden County Regional Planning Commission“Appoints a member to the study committee”Map →

Sources

Open source document

legislature.vermont.gov

Analysis Score

0–100

Significance45
How much this matters to a regular citizen
Controversy20
Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
Entertainment5
Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
Buzz30
Current news / social attention level

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