MONTPELIER, Vt. — The Vermont House has passed a massive transportation spending package that advanced two pieces of legislation investing $866 million in Vermont’s bridges, roads and public transit as well as significantly expanding electric vehicle incentives and infrastructure.
The federal cash will expand Vermont’s paving budget by a third to $158 million. State highway bridges would get $58 million, up 17%. Bike and pedestrian facilities will get close to $20 million, an increase of 18%., according to VTDigger.
Items in the bills include:
- $22 million to cut the cost of buying electric cars
- $19 million for electric charging infrastructure
- $1.4 million to maintain zero-fare transit in urban areas through 2023
- $12 million for plug-in electric car incentives
- $2 million for Drive Electric Vermont
- $3 million for MileageSmart, $3 million for replace your ride incentives
- $1 million for electric bikes
- $1 million for electric snowmobiles and ATVs
- Just more than $6 million is being set aside to install the electric charging stations along the state’s roadways. The bill would require stations within one mile of every interstate highway exit
Most of the funding will come through H.736, the state’s annual transportation bill. There will also be an omnibus state appropriations bill called H.740, or the “Big Bill,” which also carries some transportation funding.
Both bills were approved by the Vermont House of Representatives on Friday and now head to the State Senate.
Vermont is receiving more than $2 billion from the infrastructure deal passed by the U.S. Congress in November.
The Trucker News Staff produces engaging content for not only TheTrucker.com, but also The Trucker Newspaper, which has been serving the trucking industry for more than 30 years. With a focus on drivers, the Trucker News Staff aims to provide relevant, objective content pertaining to the trucking segment of the transportation industry. The Trucker News Staff is based in Little Rock, Arkansas.
