Champlain Parkway Southern Connector

The Champlain Parkway is a transformative transportation initiative led by the City of Burlington and the Vermont Agency of Transportation (VTrans) to establish a new 2.5-mile multimodal corridor connecting I-189 to Burlington’s downtown commercial district. Designed to improve mobility, access, and safety, the project blends new roadway segments with enhancements to existing streets, creating a vital gateway into the city.

CHA provided engineering and planning services, including preparation of a Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement and NEPA documentation. The firm also supported Act 250 proceedings with expert witness testimony and technical analysis.

The parkway design incorporates multiple alignment and cross-section alternatives, roundabout configurations, and provisions for truck movements, transit, and accommodations for pedestrians and bicycles. CHA conducted extensive evaluations of transportation system performance, utilizing travel demand modeling and advanced traffic analysis across a 32-intersection network, alongside assessments of traffic safety, environmental impacts, air and noise conditions, historic resources, and rail infrastructure.

To support public outreach and stakeholder engagement, CHA developed detailed visualizations, including photo simulations and corridor-wide animations of proposed conditions. Streetscape amenities and Complete Streets principles are integrated throughout the design to harmonize the corridor with Burlington’s urban character and its proximity to Lake Champlain.