Community enrichment and planning projects take time - both to create well thought out plans and to garner public feedback and consensus on the way to move forward.  With that said, Hinesburg makes progress every day toward on projects to improve the quality of life and well being of our community!

Ongoing Projects
Village Growth Project
Open Space Planning
Route 116 Sidewalk - Cheese Factory to Town Hall
Route 116 Intersection Improvements
Safe Routes to School Project
Recreation Path Project
Hinesburg Park & Ride Study
Town Hall Site Plan Improvements
Capital Budget/Program & Impact Fee Project

Completed Projects
Village Crosswalk Assessment
West Side Road Feasibility Study
Route 116 Village Corridor Scoping Study
Center Road Feasibility Study

 
Village Growth Project (ongoing)
Implementing options for growth in the village area.  New neighborhoods, increasing opportunities for businesses and local job creation, creating a walkable village area, new street networks & traffic solutions.
   Village Growth Project
 
Open Space Planning (ongoing)
The Conservation Commission is taking the lead on developing an inventory and plan for Hinesburg's important natural resource areas.  They are working with the Planning Commission to better understand the extent and distribution of Hinesburg's natural resources.  This work will be important as the Planning Commission considers strategies to retain Hinesburg's rural character and functional agricultural and forest lands.
 
Route 116 Sidewalk - Cheese Factory to Town Hall (ongoing)
Construction planned for 2006 thanks to partial State funding via a transportation enhancement grant.
 
Route 116 Intersection Improvements (ongoing)
A NEW traffic light will be installed at the Route 116, Charlotte Rd intersection in 2006!  The Route 116, Silver Street intersection will be redesigned in 2006 to change the existing "Y" intersection to a "T" arrangement.  The Route 116, Shelburne Falls Rd intersection will tentatively be improved in 2007 - either by adding turn lanes and improving the existing signalization or potentially by redesigning as a roundabout. All of these are classified as safety improvement projects, and are being managed by the VT Agency of Transportation rather than the Town (funding from Federal safety dollars).
 
Safe Routes to School Project (ongoing)
In 2004, the Hinesburg Community School was selected (1 of 3 communities in Chittenden County) to participate in a pilot project to help communities make it safer and easier for kids to walk to school.  The project will help fund educational campaigns about the value of walking to school, and will help plan and potentially leverage funds to make pedestrian improvements in the Village area.  Progressive planning pays off!  In the fall of 2005, the Federal government allocated $1 million per year for the next 5 years to help pay for Safe Routes to School projects.  As a pilot project community, Hinesburg is primed and will be very competitive in the application process to capture these funds.
 
Recreation Path Project (ongoing)
Construction tentatively planned for 2007!  A multi-use path and sidewalk from the Post Office to the Library along the west side of Mechanicsville Road, the north side of CVU Road, and across Route 116 to Ballard's Corner (to Library).
   Recreation Path Project and Committee
 
Hinesburg Park & Ride Study (ongoing)
Researching possible locations for 1 or more park & ride facilities.  Local concerns meeting tentatively planned for February 2006.  Meeting date and information coming soon!
 
Town Hall Site Plan Improvements (ongoing)
Phase 1 of the Town Hall site improvements (completed in 2004) included the new access from Stella Road, the closure of the Rt. 116 access, new sidewalk to get from the parking area into the building, and completion of the new recreation field.  Phase 2 includes landscaping next to (on old Miner lot) and in front of Town Hall (Rt. 116 side).  The community stone wall and stairs were completed in 2005, and the remaining landscaping should be installed in 2006.  Paving of the Town Hall parking area is also planned for 2006 or 2007.
 
Capital Budget/Program & Impact Fee Project (to begin in May 2006)
Developing a comprehensive capital budget and program to list and cost-out planned capital investments (e.g., major road projects, new sidewalks, municipal water/sewer line extensions, recreation fields, etc.), and research formulas that could be used to assess whether impact fees are warranted to ensure that new development helps pay the cost associated with new community infrastructure directly related to the development.
 
Village Crosswalk Assessment (completed 9/2004)
With grant funding from the CCMPO, the Town worked with a consulting firm (RSG, Inc.) to study the best locations for pedestrian crossing locations along Route 116 in the Village.  The assessment prioritized existing and future crosswalk locations as well as important places to expand the sidewalk network.  The report suggested improvements to the Rt. 116 crosswalk near Lantman's IGA (e.g., curbing, bulbouts or a raised island) as well as the Charlotte Road crossing.  It also confirmed as high priorities, new sidewalks along Route 116 from the Town Hall to the Cheese Factory and from Mechanicsville Road to Firehouse Plaza.
   Final Draft: Hinesburg Village Crosswalk Assessment
 
West Side Road Feasibility Study (completed 2/2004)
The Town utilized CCMPO funds to hire a consulting firm (Dufresne-Henry) to analyze the feasibility of creating a new road on the west side of Route 116 to support development on this side of the village and help alleviate congestion at the Charlotte Road, Rt. 116 intersection.  The primary segments of such a West Side Road would extend from Charlotte Road to Shelburne Falls Road with a connection to Rt. 116 in the middle to make a 4-way intersection with Commerce Street.  The study provided information on possible permitting and implementation hurdles (e.g., wetland & floodplain).  The report concluded that such a road was possible with careful planning and appropriate funding.
   Feasibility Study, West Side Road, Hinesburg, Vermont
 
Route 116 Village Corridor Scoping Study (completed 6/2004)
The study utilized 2 consulting groups (Dubois & King and Dufresne-Henry) to analyze the Rt. 116 corridor from Shelburne Falls Rd to Friendship Lane.  This involved the acquisition of up to date traffic count data as well as a thorough design review of each of the major intersections.  Deficiencies were documented and improvement options were suggested in each case.  The study also makes recommendations to improve the overall corridor in order to recapture a more functional, pedestrian-friendly, and attractive "Main Street".  Thanks to this study, we can now demonstrate to the Agency of Transportation that problematic intersections like Charlotte Road and Silver Street DO in fact have enough traffic to warrant the installation of traffic signals!  The study also encouraged serious consideration of roundabouts at both the Silver Street and Commerce Street intersections.
 
Center Road Feasibility Study (completed 12/2005)
Exploring options for a new Town road for local, low speed traffic and pedestrian use in the center of the existing village core.
   Center Road Feasibility Study