Waterbury Center gets summer trial upgrades to road-bike-pedestrian safety
June 3, 2026 | By Lisa Scagliotti 
A summer demonstration for transportation safety improvements focuses on Waterbury Center in the area around the triangle park at Guptil Road and Maple Street. Photo by Lisa Scagliotti
What began as a study a year ago to explore improving vehicle, bike and pedestrian safety and connections in Waterbury Center takes a giant step forward this week.
The intersection of Maple Street and Guptil Road will become a 3-way stop with new stop signs installed. Photo by Lisa Scagliotti
Work is happening today to add a number of safety features in the vicinity of Waterbury Center’s Triangle Green park and Hope Davey Park where Guptil Road, Maple Street and Howard Avenue converge.
Crews, including many volunteers, will be on site from 7 a.m. through the day today, with road sections closed in the areas where work is taking place. Motorists are advised to be alert for the activity and changes in traffic patterns. Seek alternate routes around the area to avoid delays. Work is expected to take just one day.
The project is part of the Better Connections study that began after the town received a $97,500 grant from the Vermont Agency of Transportation last year. It resulted in a report with a wide range of recommendations for future improvements around Waterbury Center to focus on making roads safer for pedestrians, cyclists and motorists.
The work happening now is a short-term demonstration project to be in place this summer. The idea is to test design improvements before committing to more permanent infrastructure.
In September, project leaders and town officials will use public feedback to determine whether any of the elements remain in place. The project’s report will also guide future discussions of additional areas to focus on, such as improving safety along the Vermont Route 100 corridor and adding infrastructure to better handle stormwater.
The key features being installed for the summer are:
Marked lanes in lieu of sidewalks for pedestrians and cyclists to use along Maple Street and Howard Avenue. These paths will be set apart from the vehicle portion of the lanes with 3-foot-tall posts.
Additional stop signs at the Guptil Road and Maple Street intersection, making it a stop for vehicles traveling in all directions.
Crosswalks along the Howard Avenue end of the Triangle Green for pedestrians to connect to the Grange Hall, across the Guptil Road intersection, and across Maple Street.
Formalized parking spaces along the Triangle Green on the Guptil Road side of the park, including a handicapped space.
The designation of a “pedestrian plaza” at the northwest corner of the Triangle Green. The park area will be extended and marked by planters, benches and a mural painted on the ground.
A key part of the demonstration project will be to get input from the community about the new features. “We would like a lot of feedback on this,” said interim Town Manager Bill Woodruff. “Local drivers should take some time to get used to it and then compose their thoughts and let us know.”
Work on the $5,500 demonstration project is paid for from the Better Connections Grant and a $2,500 grant from the Vermont Natural Resources Council. Some features are donated and in-kind contributions as well, such as the bollard posts from the Central Vermont Regional Planning Commission and planters from the organization Local Motion.
The awkward utility pole and stop sign at the intersection of Guptil Road and Howard Avenue will remain and a new pedestrian section will be added, designated with planters and artwork on the ground. Photo by Lisa Scagliotti
Volunteers recognized
The Waterbury Better Connections project has been led by volunteers Kati Gallagher, who serves on the Planning Commission, and Duncan McDougall, who chairs Waterbury LEAP. They recently were recognized by the state of Vermont for their efforts in landing the state grant for the Waterbury Center study and the work that has come from that over the past year.
At the Vermont Walk/Bike Summit held in Bennington in early May, Gallagher and McDougall received the bi-annual conference’s Bike/Walk Volunteers Award, which recognizes volunteer leaders “who rally others to action, inspire innovation, and doggedly demand better.”
State transportation officials noted the significance of the Better Connections project for Waterbury Center, “where, despite being one of the most popular destinations in the state and one of Waterbury’s two growth centers, there are no accommodations for pedestrians, bicyclists, or those with mobility challenges.”
Over the past year, the project assembled two committees with members from the community including business owners, residents and town officials. A survey and walking tour gathered input for ideas to make improvements that were then used by transportation consultants from the firm Stantec to create a report with a wide range of recommendations that could become the seeds of future projects.
Much more information about the Waterbury Center Better Connections project is online on the town website here. Included are the recent project presentation slides and details outlining both short- and long-term ideas for infrastructure improvements that could be implemented in the future.
Project graphics detail safety features
The summer demonstration project will add new features to improve vehicle, bike and pedestrian safety in the vicinity of the Waterbury Center triangle park and Hope Davey Park where Maple Street, Guptil Road and Howard Avenue converge. The graphics below from the consulting firm Stantec illustrate the changes.
Town officials ask the community to share their comments, questions, and feedback using this online form.
