Limited Infrastructure News

VTA sets goals for statewide Internet

2008-11-26T19:56:16Z

The Brattleboro Reformer reports that Vermont Telecommunications Authority (VTA) representatives speaking at a Windham Regional Commission meeting said they plan "to increase communications services in Windham County." Their plans "hinge mainly on attaching smaller radios to local sites from which cell phone and Internet signals could be broadcast." Currently about "50 percent of Vermont's geography has no cell phone sites." One year ago, however, the state Legislature passed Act 79, which requires the VTA to "come up with solutions for providing 100 percent coverage in all of Vermont." The VTA "aims to complete the project by 2010." VTA Board Chairwoman Mary Evslin explained, "Big companies cannot cover rural areas because it's just not economically viable for them to do so." In turn, "it is VTA's job to fill in the gaps, which they plan on doing by installing small, low-impact cell phone and Internet sites."

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Administration hopes for more federal transportation money

2008-11-19T17:48:16Z

Vermont Public Radio reports that "the Douglas Administration hopes the federal government will pay more for road and bridge repair" and "wants to increase motor vehicle fees in order to stem a growing deficit in the transportation fund." According to Transportation Secretary David Dill, "Congress is working on an economic stimulus bill that could funnel $60 million dollars to Vermont for highway bridge projects." Dill commented, "The key question is what are the ground rules going to be? From the very first day last January when we submitted that list of projects I said the upmost caveat is that this has to be 100 percent federally eligible. We do not have state or local funds to match. And they get it, and all the states are on board with that." Typically, "federal highway funds come with a very large string attached -a requirement that states come up with 10 or 20 percent of the project's cost." Dill hopes "Congress will waive the match requirement. He's also working with the state's congressional delegation on changes that will allow states to use streamlined procedures as they put projects out to bid."

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Vermont towns want big trucks off local roads

2008-11-19T14:34:17Z

Vermont Public Radio reports that eight Vermont towns have passed a Vermont League of Cities and Towns' resolutionwhich calls on Congress to "increase the allowable weight limit for trucks on Vermont's interstate highways in hopes of ridding local roads of heavy trucks."The current weight limit prohibits trucks weighing more than 99,000 pounds from travelling on the interstate highways, causingthem to use local roads instead. Michael Brown, Selectboard chairman of the town of Thetford, one of the towns that passed the resolution, said that "Thetford's roads are taking a bigger beating than they should because trucks weighing up to 99,000 pounds are allowed on them." Notably, "U.S. Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., has reservations about the higher limits." He pointed out thatthe higher limit"could worsen damage on the highways."

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State advances on tech pledge to gauge level of business

2008-10-30T13:28:42Z

The Brattleboro Reformer reports that the Vermont Telecommunications Authority (VTA), which was created last year to make Vermont one of the first states in the country to have cell phone and broadband Internet service in every corner of the state, is "about to test three sites in Windham County as it moves forward with its goal to provide cell phone service throughout Vermont by 2010."

"The three Windham County sites will be activated in the coming weeks" and will be tested for six months. According to VTA Vice Chairman Peter Myer, "The authority is not testing the technology, which is already known to be reliable and powerful enough." Instead the test will tell the authority how much business might be generated in small towns as a result of the technology.

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S'bury considers cutting school bus runs

2008-10-30T13:06:54Z

The Bennington Banner reports that the town of Shaftsbury is considering whether or not the school's busing service should continue to exist in its current form. Officials said the discussion was prompted by an expiring contract and budget considerations. According to Shaftsbury Elementary Principal James Harwood, "The [school's] budget will be a problem in the upcoming year, and all potential expense cuts" are being examined. Notably, the school currently spends about $107,000 on transportation and that figure will increase by about 30% under a new contract. Board Chairwoman Elizabeth Benedict also commented that fewer children are riding the bus than expected. Options for change include "eliminating the service altogether, only having bus service in the afternoons, using smaller buses, and running two buses instead of the typical three."

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FCC to rule on white space channels

2008-10-29T17:25:20Z

Vermont Public Radio reports that the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is "expected to rule next week whether to open up unused television channels for use as wireless broadband service." The decision "could be a boon for rural states like Vermont, where these so-called white spaces are abundant" and could "boost [the state's] efforts to extend high-speed Internet service to the entire state by 2010." According to Mary Evslin, Chairwoman of the Vermont Telecommunications Authority, "The frequencies are well-suited for carrying broadband across Vermont's mountainous terrain." Notably, "Google and Microsoft are lobbying for the proposal while the National Association of Broadcasters, joined by ABC, NBC, CBS and Fox, is challenging it."

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State gives money for new bus routes and expansion of existing one

2008-10-29T16:59:12Z

Vermont Public Radio reports that the State Agency of Transportation will spend $350,000 to help help three public transit providers pay for new routes along Route 103 and Interstate 91 and expand an existing route along Interstate 89 by doubling the I-89er's seating capacity. The I-89 route "begins in Randolph Center and travels south along Interstate 89 with stops at park and rides in both Randolph and Sharon on its way to Bethel, White River Junction and finally into Lebanon, N.H." The new route along Route 103 will provide service from Rutland through Ludlow to Bellows Falls and Springfield, and the new route along I-91 will provide service from St. Johnsbury to White River Junction and Lebanon, N.H.

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Bartlett says Washington should waive local match on road projects

2008-10-24T17:43:00Z

Vermont Public Radio reports that state Senate Appropriations Chairwoman Susan Bartlett "wants the federal government to temporarily waive all local and state matching costs for a variety of programs, including road and bridge repairs and the construction of water treatment facilities." In general, "the federal government requires a 10 to 20 percent match for many of these projects", but Bartlett maintains that "the state doesn't have the resources to take full advantage of the federal funds," and her plan would "pump tens of millions of dollars and thousands of jobs into the Vermont economy." Congressman Peter Welch is "enthusiastic" about Bartlett's plan. He commented, "I'm going to push it. If a stimulus package is necessary, and people think it is, then you want to get that money into the system as quickly as possible. And roads and bridges need repair. That's a way to create good jobs and have lasting value. So I think it's a common sense, practical Vermont idea and I'm going to promote it."

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Public transportation demand to outpace funding

2008-10-23T20:03:36Z

Vermont Public Radio reports that "high gas prices have persuaded more Vermonters to leave their cars at home and take the bus to work," but "the demand has begun to outstrip the state's ability to pay for public transit." Representative Sue Minter of Waterbury, who serves on the House Transportation Committee, explained, "Public transportation is subsidized here in Vermont and across this country and it takes place within a wider context. ... We are what we consider in the transportation world hitting a perfect storm in transportation. We have a rapidly aging infrastructure in Vermont. We have declining revenues coming into the Transportation Fund and dramatically escalating construction costs."

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Vermont Agency of Transportation Faces Tough Choices

2008-10-06T15:41:43Z

Vermont Public Radio reports that Vermont's Agency of Transportation is "facing some tough choices" as "roads and bridges are aging and tax revenues are falling." Because of falling revenues, the Agency "must trim another millions from its budget" although it "does have approval for $10 million more than expected in bonding for road construction." According to Transportation Secretary David Dill, "One of the ways to get more revenue into the transportation budget is to stop transferring money out of the fund for non-transportation expenses."

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