Vermont Route 279 marker

Vermont Route 279

Bennington Bypass
Map
Map of Bennington and vicinity with VT 279 highlighted in red.
Route information
Maintained by VTrans
Length6.716 mi[1] (10.808 km)
ExistedOctober 12, 2004[2]–present
Major junctions
West end NY 7 via NY 915G in Hoosick, NY
Major intersections
East end VT 9 in Bennington
Location
CountryUnited States
StateVermont
CountiesBennington
Highway system
← VT 253→ VT 289

Vermont Route 279 (VT 279), often referred to as the Bennington Bypass, is a freeway bypass of Bennington in Bennington County, Vermont, in the United States. It extends for roughly 6.7 miles (10.8 km) from the New York state line northwest of Bennington to an intersection with VT 9 east of the downtown district. At its west end, VT 279 connects to New York State Route 915G (NY 915G), an unsigned reference route leading to NY 7 in Hoosick, New York.

The section of VT 279 west of U.S. Route 7 (US 7) officially opened to traffic in 2004; however, portions of the route have been open in some capacity since the 1970s. An extension of VT 279 southeast to VT 9 was completed in 2012.

Route description

VT 279 east at VT 67A as of 2012

VT 279 begins at the New York–Vermont state line, where the road continues west to NY 7 in Hoosick, New York, as NY 915G, a reference route signed as "To VT 279" eastbound and "To NY 7" westbound. As VT 279, the highway heads northeast from the state line, passing through rural northwest Bennington as a three-lane road. It bypasses William H. Morse State Airport to the north and passes over a pair of local roadways on its way toward downtown Bennington, where the route crosses the Walloomsac River and meets VT 67A at a parclo interchange north of downtown.[3]

Past VT 67A, the bypass widens to four lanes and becomes a divided highway as it passes over VT 7A and approaches a complex interchange with US 7. The route briefly overlaps with the freeway before continuing eastward as a two-lane highway toward the western edge of Green Mountain National Forest. After 1 mile (1.6 km), VT 279 turns southward, loosely paralleling the forest's west boundary as it bypasses the northeastern section of downtown Bennington. The route crosses the Roaring Branch of the Walloomsac River before ending at a half-completed single-point urban interchange (SPUI) with VT 9 east of downtown.[3]

History

Approaching VT 9 on VT 279 eastbound

The four-lane portion of VT 279 between VT 67A and US 7 was built in the early 1970s[4] and designated VT 67A Connector in 1974.[5] However, construction did not begin on the remainder of the route west of VT 67A (including the short continuation into Hoosick, New York) until the early 2000s.[4] Work on the bypass concluded with the opening of VT 279 on October 12, 2004.[2] The number "279" was chosen because it provides a bypass for both US 7 and VT 9.[6]

Split of US 7 northbound and VT 279 westbound in Bennington

Construction on an extension of VT 279 southeast to VT 9 began in July 2007. The highway was built as a two-lane undivided roadway, similar to that constructed between Hoosick and Bennington.[7] It was officially opened on August 30, 2012, and cost roughly $70 million to build.[8] Construction plans for the northern segment called for the existing interchange between US 7 and VT 279 to be reconfigured to accommodate a welcome center located within the exit[7] that was completed and officially opened on October 11, 2013.[9]


Exit list

This list includes VT 279's continuation into New York as NY 915G. All exits are unnumbered.

CountyLocationmi[10][1]kmDestinationsNotes
RensselaerHoosick0.000.00 NY 7 – Troy, Bennington VT, Brattleboro VTWestern terminus of NY 915G; at-grade intersection
New York–Vermont state line1.19
0.000		1.92
0.000		Eastern terminus of NY 915G; western terminus of VT 279
BenningtonBennington3.2285.195
 VT 67A (North Bennington Road) to VT 7A – Bennington, North Bennington		Partial cloverleaf interchange
3.841–
4.066		6.181–
6.544		 US 7 – Bennington Downtown, Rutland, Welcome CenterUS 7 exit 1; double partial cloverleaf–trumpet hybrid interchange with ramps to welcome center in center of interchange
6.71610.808 VT 9 (Molly Stark Trail) – Brattleboro, BenningtonEastern terminus of VT 279; Partial single-point urban interchange
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

See also

References

  1. ^ a b Mapping Section (November 15, 2016). "VTrans Route Logs and Progress Charts". VT 279. Policy, Planning, and Intermodal Development Division, Vermont Agency of Transportation. Retrieved February 25, 2017.
  2. ^ a b "Western Leg of Bypass Will Open Tuesday" (Press release). Office of the Governor of Vermont. October 8, 2004. Archived from the original on September 23, 2006. Retrieved December 23, 2007.
  3. ^ a b Google (March 15, 2013). "overview map of VT 279" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved March 15, 2013.
  4. ^ a b Federal Highway Administration (2012). "NBI Structure Number: 200110007E02022". National Bridge Inventory. Federal Highway Administration.
  5. ^ "State Highways History – Route Listing, Exclusive of Interstates with Route Log Notes" (PDF). Vermont Agency of Transportation, Policy and Planning Division – Mapping. October 5, 2007. Retrieved December 24, 2007.
  6. ^ Gates, Bobby (April 9, 2003). "The Bennington Bypass acquires a new name: Route 279". Bennington Banner. Retrieved March 31, 2010.
  7. ^ a b "VTrans Projects – Bennington Bypass (Northern Segment)". Vermont Agency of Transportation. Retrieved December 24, 2007.
  8. ^ LeBlanc, Deanna (August 30, 2012). "2nd leg of Vt.'s Bennington bypass open to traffic". WCAX. Burlington, VT. Retrieved September 15, 2012.
  9. ^ Vt. Welcome Center opens to crowds, Khynna Kuprian, Bennington Banner. Retrieved 2014-01-04.
  10. ^ "2008 Traffic Volume Report for New York State" (PDF). New York State Department of Transportation. June 16, 2009. p. 265. Retrieved January 31, 2010.

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