We have been informed that the New York State Department of Transportation has finalized details for the Groundbreaking of the new Lake Champlain Bridge and will host a ceremony at 10:30 a.m. on Friday, June 11 on the New York side of the lake.
New York is hosting the event, and have invited Governor Douglas, VTrans Secretary David Dill and State Rep. Diane Lanpher to speak in the cermony. Both New York Governor Patterson and Acting NYSDOT Commissioner Stan Gee will also be on hand to speak, as well as several elected officials from New York.
To get to the ceremony on time, you will need to catch the 10 a.m. ferry from Vermont. That will give you just enough time to settle in before festivities begin. You can take your car over on the ferry, but it may actually be easier to leave your car on the Vermont side and ride the ferry as a pedestrian. The ceremony location will be an easy walk.
ATTENTION BUSINESS AFFECTED BY THE BRIDGE CLOSURE!
Addison County Economic Development Corporation (ACEDC) has received $800,000 in funds to lend out to businesses in Addison County that have experienced losses or incurred additional costs due to the October 16, 2009 closure of the Champlain Bridge. Loan amounts range from $1000 to $25,000 and can be borrowed for up to 10 years. There is no principal or interest due for the first two years of the loan. For additional information or to request a loan application, please contact ACEDC in Middlebury at 388-7953 or email rpscheu@addisoncountyedc.org orjmolineaux@addisoncountyedc.org. The program ends October 31, 2010.
***VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITY***
Help Our Stranded Neighbors
The Crown Point bridge crisis has greatly increased the demand for ACTR’s Volunteer Drivers.Since the bridge was closed, the need for rides has skyrocketed.If you would like to help your Vermont and New York neighbors during this difficult time, please call Serena at 388-7044.Drivers are fully trained and reimbursed 54¢ per mile. Thank you!
A toll-free hotline number for information about the bridge closure - 1-888-769-7243 - which was established in October will remain open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Those calling from the 518 area code may dial 518-485-1159. The New YorkState outreach center is located in the Lake ChamplainVisitorsCenter at 814 Bridge Rd. in Crown Point.
Further, to assure that the public is continually informed, regular e-mail updates are being sent to residents of both states who have signed up to receive them. These updates can be accessed by visiting the respective state transportation agency websites at www.lcbclosure.org in New York, and www.aot.state.vt.us in Vermont. The full HNTB report will be available at www.nysdot.gov and www.aot.state.vt.us later this week.Most Commuters Still Face Long Commutes; Out-of-Pocket Expenses Eased With Free Bus and Ferry Services
Middlebury, Vermont – October 29, 2009 – Commuters and residents traveling between AddisonCounty and New York now have several options for getting to and from their workplace or residence. All public transportation services are now free, minimizing the financial impact for many workers and employers. However, long travel times still exist for many. Below is a summary of the services currently in operation. More details and links to schedules are available at the website the Addison County Chamber of Commerce is maintaining: www.crownpointbridgeupdates.com
FERRY SERVICES
FortTiconderoga Ferry: Connecting Shoreham, VT and Ticonderoga, NY
Free service as of 10/27/09
Extended hours from 6 am to 8 pm
Lake Champlain Ferry: Connecting Charlotte, VT and Essex, NY
Free service as of 10/27/09
Departures every 30 minutes
Essex County (NY) Transportation is providing free bus transportation to/from Crown Point, FortHenry, Westport and the Essex Ferry dock
CCTA (Chittenden County Transportation Authority) is providing bus transportation to/from Charlotte dock to Shelburne and Fletcher Allen Healthcare in Burlington
Commuters needing to travel south of Charlotte should contact ACTR (Addison County Transit Resources)
BasinHarbor Ferry: Connecting BasinHarbor, Vergennes, VT and Westport, NY
Free services as of 10/29/09
Pedestrian ferry only
Three AM and three PM crossings
Essex County (NY) Transportation is providing free bus transportation to/from Essex Fairgrounds and Westport Marina
ACTR is providing free bus transportation from BasinHarbor to businesses in Vergennes—Country Home Products, Northlands Job Corps and Goodrich
BUS SERVICES
Adirondack Trailway’s Express Bus Service: Connecting Port Henry, Ticonderoga to Middlebury and Vergennes (via Whitehall)
Free
Approximate 2 hour trip
Makes stops at MiddleburyCollege, Porter Medical, Goodrich
ACTR:
ACTR is offering a Guaranteed Ride Home in the event of a personal emergency during business hours for commuters without cars (i.e., who came via foot ferry, bus or carpool). ACTR will arrange for a volunteer driver or taxi to take a commuter to where they need to go. Eligible Guaranteed Ride Home requests include, but are not limited to:
Personal or family emergency
Sudden illness
Unexpected emergency overtime
CARPOOLING/RIDESHARING SERVICES
Vermont:
VTrans has a toll-free number and website to help commuters connect for carpooling purposes.
The phone numbers are 1-800-685-7433 (RIDE) or 1-802-828-6521.
At the moment, there is a person processing registrants looking to make carpool connections. Potential carpool matches are sent to registrants by email and/or regular mail (as preferred).Within a week, an automated software system is expected to go live, which should help expand the capabilities of the system.
New York:
EssexCounty offers a Ride Share program which is available to residents of both New York and Vermont.
The Addison County Chamber of Commerce (ACCOC) is an association of individuals representing business interest, working together to promote commercial business in AddisonCounty. The Chamber can be found on the Web at www.addisoncounty.com.
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