Vermont transportation officials have agreed to remove a traffic control device on the north side of Smugglers’ Notch after residents complained that it was preventing them from reaching prime winter recreation areas.
As they do every winter, VTrans crews closed Route 108 over the Notch in late November. But this year, they had to contend with the chicanes they’d installed on either side of the Notch to prevent trucks from getting stuck on the extremely narrow, sharp curves at the top of the pass.
Crews removed the device from the Stowe side of the Notch — but initially left the chicane in place on the Jeffersonville side and closed the road before it. That prevented residents from accessing parking areas used by hikers, ice climbers and backcountry skiers. “There is a huge amount of community use up there,” Essex climber Keese Lane said.
Many of those recreational users — “dozens, if not hundreds,” according to Lane — called VTrans and Gov. Phil Scott’s office to voice their displeasure.
The Vermont Army National Guard also expressed concern about being able to access the area for winter training, as did first responders who deal with emergencies in the area, according to VTrans spokesperson Amy Tatko.
That prompted the agency to reverse course on Tuesday.
“After internal conversations and hearing from our stakeholders, AOT has made the decision to remove the chicane,” Ashley Atkins of VTrans said in a statement.
The move will restore access to the parking areas. Keese credited state Sen. Richard Westman (R-Lamoille) for advocating on behalf of his constituents on the north side of the Notch. After years of struggling with stuck trucks — and failing to find solutions to prevent the problem — VTrans officials believe the chicanes are the answer. In the past, about eight trucks each year would get stuck trying to navigate the pass, creating major headaches for tow truck crews and members of the public.
Many drivers of oversize vehicles would blame their GPS navigation, even though VTrans has installed electronic billboards and other notices that warn of the narrow roadway along Route 108. Drivers also face thousands of dollars in fines for trying to navigate the pass.
This year, with the chicanes in place, just one bus got stuck, according to VTrans.
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