Improvements at Williston Road and Dorset Street Intersection
SOUTH BURLINGTON – The traffic signal and pedestrian crossing infrastructure at the intersection of Williston Road and Dorset Street has been reconstructed. New hardware and software have been installed at the intersection that will improve traffic flow and safety. In addition, motorists will notice a new traffic pattern as they head westbound on Williston Road towards Burlington and I-89.
The traffic signal infrastructure at Williston Road and Dorset Street has been reconstructed to replace the signal heads strung on a strain wire with pole and arm-mounted signal heads. The signals and lights are all lit by LEDs and include reflective backplates to make them more visible.
The upgrades also include improved software and technology to adapt to real-time traffic conditions. There is now radar detection that identifies when vehicles are approaching or are already waiting at the intersection.
In the new configuration, westbound traffic on Williston Road will have one left turn lane, two through lanes, and one right turn lane. This eliminates the lane shift and allows drivers to proceed in a straight line to continue into Burlington, or onto I-89 southbound. For those turning left onto Dorset Street, there will now only be one left turn lane, which provides enough capacity to keep traffic moving smoothly. The right turn lane is now for entering either the hotel driveway or getting onto I-89 northbound. There is now an additional crosswalk across Williston Road so pedestrians can cross in any direction on a crosswalk when all traffic is stopped.
Please stay alert and take extra caution while navigating this intersection as everyone adjusts to the new pattern. You can see a preview of the new intersection design in this video: https://www.southburlingtonvt.gov/news_detail_T7_R1261.php
The remaining phase of this project is to improve timing, technology, and coordination between intersections on Dorset Street to improve traffic flow and signalized pedestrian infrastructure. This will be an ongoing effort through March 2024 as signals between Williston Road and Kennedy Drive are completed.
All signals on Dorset Street between and including Williston Road and Kennedy Drive/I-189 will be connected via radio to communicate current traffic conditions along the corridor and update timings in real-time. All intersections will also include exclusive pedestrian phases, meaning all vehicles will be stopped while pedestrians are signaled to cross Dorset Street or any of the side streets.
The last notable change is the reconstruction of the intersection at Dorset Street and Kennedy Drive/I-189. Similar to the intersection with Williston Road, the span wire has been replaced by poles and mast arms to improve visibility and provide more secure and aesthetically pleasing traffic signals consistent with other areas of the City. Improvements to crosswalk infrastructure have also been made at this intersection. There are no changes to the traffic pattern at this intersection, but new software and detection will improve traffic flow on this end of the Dorset Street corridor.
The City is currently working on plans to pave the section of Dorset Street in front of the Frederick H. Tuttle Middle School and South Burlington High School. This includes evaluation of a new school zone on Dorset Street at this location. This work is anticipated for 2024/2025.
Press Contact
Tom DiPietro, Director of Public Works
tdipietro@southburlingtonvt.gov
Erica Quallen, Deputy Director of Capital Projects
equallen@southburlingtonvt.gov
Download the press release
November 20, 2023