The City of Essex Junction is proud to announce the launch of the "Connect the Junction" Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) Master Plan project in Essex Junction.
The project will focus on the City Center, Pearl Street Corridor, and Park Street areas. The project aims to create walkable communities centered around transportation hubs, which allow people to walk, bike, and ride transit to destinations for work and leisure. This project builds upon previous planning efforts that have envisioned how Essex Junction can grow thoughtfully, incorporating more diverse housing options, thriving businesses, and encouraging multi-modal transportation.
The City’s Community Development Department will work with CCRPC and Framework Cultural Placemaking consultants on the Connect the Junction project. Throughout this project, the community will help the team devise strategies for future development in the area, looking at opportunities for new land uses, expanding public space, and improving facilities for pedestrians, cyclists, and transit riders. The first deliverable, a market assessment report specific to Essex Junction, will be developed in the coming months and will inform the project. The project team will also meet with focus groups throughout August and September.
The primary way for the community to participate in the project is through events and activities during the Design Workshop (a.k.a. Charette) on October 4-8, 2024, at the Champlain Valley Exposition's Robert E. Miller Expo Center. This Workshop will include a kickoff event with a presentation by the design team, design exercises, community site walks, workshops, open houses, and additional in-person focus group meetings. More information and to RSVP for the Workshop events can be found on the project website at www.connectthejunction.org.
The final product of this project will be a set of amendments to the City’s Comprehensive Plan and Zoning Bylaws prepared for enactment by the City Council. The project is expected to be completed in February 2025.
This project is possible and funded through the Chittenden County Regional Planning Commission (CCRPC), which was awarded a U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) discretionary planning grant to conduct a comprehensive Transit-Oriented Development Plan for Northwest Vermont. Essex Junction applied and was selected to be one of the communities that conducted TOD Master planning and municipal bylaw updates.
For further information and project updates, please visit the project website at www.connectthejunction.org or contact Chris Yuen, Community Development Director, at cyuen@essexjunction.org or 802-878-6944.