ESSEX, Vt. (WCAX) – Changes are on the horizon for Essex Junction, Vermont’s newest city. That includes new efforts to make it more pedestrian-friendly.
“There’s the Nest over that way, there’s Boxcar that way. Or, I go to, you know, the bus stop at Amtrak,” said Mae Czado, an Essex Junction local. Czado says there are plenty of places to go, but it can get tough navigating the traffic on foot. “Sometimes the crosswalks have a lot of problems, drivers aren’t always the most courteous.”
It’s concerns like hers that have local leaders taking action. The city has announced a new project to create a vibrant, walkable future.
The goal of the Connect the Junction plan is to build better infrastructure to help more people travel through the city.
“We might look at Pearl Street and whether there are enough pedestrian crossings across Pearl Street right now, if there are ways to improve that. We might also look at the zoning regulations that regulate the private realm of development in the city,” said Essex City Manager Regina Mahony. Officials hope to also incorporate more housing into the mix.
And with new apartments, some also hope for more public transportation. “Transportation is definitely needed. There is only like one train coming, a couple buses. I know there’s more students coming in, so they need a lot more accessibility, especially the ones that don’t have access to vehicles,” said April Thurman, a visitor from Chicago.