Select Board Delays Endorsement of Revised Putney Road Plan

The earlier concept centered on four roundabouts to move traffic more efficiently, while the newer version shifts toward upgrades at signalized intersections.

A revised reconstruction proposal for Putney Road will not move forward yet, after the Brattleboro Select Board decided on Nov. 5 to keep gathering feedback before giving it support to VTrans.

Town officials said the updated concept trims some of the cost and overall footprint of the long-running project, but several board members raised doubts about whether it still delivers the broader improvements the town wants. The board agreed to send its concerns back to the Vermont Agency of Transportation and continue discussions about how the plan could be changed.

The roadway project has been developing for years. A scoping plan was approved in 2008 after work began in the 2000s. The section under review stretches from the north side of Veteran’s Bridge to the roundabout at Exit 3, covering 1.25 miles, according to the town website.

Oscar Heller, chair of the Select Board, said the updated version appeared to fall short of earlier ambitions and seemed to be advancing at a faster pace than he expected. He said he wanted further work done so the project would better meet the town’s objectives.

The earlier concept centered on four roundabouts to move traffic more efficiently, while the newer version shifts toward upgrades at signalized intersections. Heller said he still believed the project would improve conditions compared with the current setup, but he wanted some of the stronger design features from the original proposal restored.

Nell Mayo also urged the board to think beyond traffic flow and consider long-term safety and accessibility. She said the plan should include stronger accommodations for people walking and biking, especially if Putney Road is expected to evolve into a mixed-use area with more residents and families.

Questions about timing and local costs also came up, though those details remain unsettled while the plan is still being revised. Dan Tyler, the director of public works, and Sue Fillion, the planning director, told the board that VTrans is responsible for the road itself because it is a state route. They also said the state will seek a maintenance agreement with the town covering sidewalks and landscaping.

The town website posts both versions of the scoping plan on the Select Board page.

At the same meeting, the board also signed off on a solid waste collection agreement with Casella Waste Systems and reviewed its priorities along with the town manager’s proposed 2028 budget.