Why It Matters
Route 7 between Pittsford and Brandon ranks among New England’s busiest highways and serves as a critical corridor for commercial shipping and regional traffic. The $19.7 million federal investment addresses documented safety and capacity shortcomings on this 12-mile stretch, reducing delays for freight movement and improving conditions for all travelers on Vermont’s western side.
What Happened
Vermont’s Congressional Delegation announced Monday that the state’s Agency of Transportation has secured $19.7 million through the Department of Transportation’s BUILD grant program under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. The funding supports reconstruction of Route 7 from Pittsford to Brandon, a corridor designated as a principal high-capacity urban roadway on the National Highway System.
A 2023 scoping study commissioned for the Pittsford-Brandon corridor identified specific safety and capacity constraints: narrow shoulders inadequate for bicyclists and vehicle pull-overs, and terrain that challenges truck drivers maintaining consistent speeds. The reconstruction design addresses these issues through roadway widening, the addition of climbing lanes in both directions, culvert replacement, drainage improvements, and wildlife crossings.
Engineer’s Construction, Inc. received the construction contract in May following a competitive bidding process earlier in the year. Three of six phases in the broader corridor reconstruction project have already been completed, covering areas south of Pittsford Village, the Brandon village area, and the Otter Valley Union going north.
According to state officials, “This project will make one of the most traveled highways in our state safer and more reliable, from Pittsford to Brandon and beyond.” Work is scheduled to begin in fall 2023, with completion targeted for fall 2028.
By the Numbers
$19.7 million — federal funding secured through BUILD grant program
$22.3 million — total estimated project cost
12 miles — length of Route 7 corridor from Pittsford to Brandon
3,225 feet — length of northbound climbing lanes in final design
1,150 feet — length of southbound climbing lanes in final design
3 of 6 — phases of broader reconstruction project completed to date
Zoom Out
The Route 7 investment reflects broader federal infrastructure spending under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law signed in 2021, which allocated substantial resources to highway safety and capacity projects nationwide. BUILD grants have become a primary competitive vehicle for states seeking federal backing for multi-year transportation improvements. Vermont’s success in securing this award underscores the state’s application of data-driven project justification, with the preceding scoping study serving as the foundation for federal approval.
Route 7 improvements also connect to wider efforts across Vermont to balance economic transportation corridors with environmental and safety considerations. The addition of wildlife crossings and drainage improvements reflects integration of ecological factors alongside capacity upgrades.
What’s Next
Construction is expected to begin in the fall with a target completion date of fall 2028. The project will proceed in phases, with the contractor now mobilizing for the next stages of work. As phases advance, the state will monitor project progress against the multi-year timeline and coordinate with regional communities and freight operators using the Route 7 corridor.