U.S. Route 7 in Vermont

U.S. Route 7 (US 7) is a north–south highway extending from southern Connecticut to the northernmost part of Vermont. In Vermont, the route extends for 176 miles (283 km) along the western side of the state as a mostly two-lane rural road, with the exception of an expressway section between Bennington and East Dorset. US 7 is known as the Ethan Allen Highway for its entire length through the state.[1] US 7 ends at an interchange with Interstate 89 (I-89) in the town of Highgate, just south of the Canadian border. I-89 continues to the border crossing.

U.S. Route 7
Ethan Allen Highway[1]
Map of Vermont with US 7 highlighted in red
Route information
Maintained by VTrans
Length176.328 mi[2] (283.772 km)
Existed1926[3]–present
Major junctions
South end US 7 at the Massachusetts state line in Pownal
 
North end I-89 near Highgate
Location
CountiesBennington, Rutland, Addison, Chittenden, Franklin
Highway system

State highways in Vermont

VT 5A VT 7A

Route description

Original-style Vermont US 7 shield
View north along "Super" US 7 in Sunderland

US 7 crosses the Massachusetts–Vermont state line at Pownal, from where the road heads north to Bennington as a rural two-lane highway. Just north of downtown Bennington, the highway transitions into a limited-access highway. For 3 miles (4.8 km), US 7 is a true expressway with divided carriageways and multiple lanes. The road subsequently narrows down to an undivided two-lane freeway; however, many stretches have passing lanes. This continues to a point just north of Manchester, where US 7 reverts to a surface road.

Most of US 7 between Manchester and the Canadian border is an undivided, uncontrolled road varying in width from two to four lanes. Two divided highway sections also exist: a 10-mile (16 km) section south of Rutland, and a 3-mile (4.8 km) stretch with numerous traffic signals between Shelburne and South Burlington known as Shelburne Road. There is overhead signage at the junction with I-189 in South Burlington that directs northbound trucks onto I-189. While US 7 heads directly into Burlington, I-189 bypasses the city to the south and east and leads directly to I-89, which runs close to US 7 north of Winooski.

Near downtown Burlington, US 7 intersects with US 2; the latter route joins US 7 for more than 9 miles (14 km) to Colchester. From here, US 7 and I-89 run through northern Vermont to Highgate, where US 7 ends at the northernmost exit on I-89.

History

US 7 was assigned in 1926.[3] Interstate 89 was originally envisioned to parallel US-7 from the Massachusetts border to the Canadian frontier. This plan was ultimately cancelled, and I-89 was shifted to its current alignment, turning southeast at Burlington toward Montpelier and White River Junction. Prior to the cancellation of the original I-89 routing, approximately 25 miles (40 km) of freeway (mostly "Super 2" with some four-lane sections) was built in the US-7 corridor between Bennington and Manchester, plus an additional seven miles (11 km) of four-lane highway between Wallingford and Rutland were completed.

Major intersections

CountyLocation[2]mi[2]kmExitDestinationsNotes
BenningtonPownal0.0000.000 US 7 south Williamstown, PittsfieldMassachusetts state line
1.8632.998 VT 346 Pownal, North PownalEastern terminus of VT 346
Bennington10.95717.634 VT 9 (Main St.)
12.14019.537 VT 7A north (Northside Dr.) to VT 67ASouthern terminus of VT 7A
12.23619.692South end of freeway section
13.15321.1681 (13) VT 279 to VT 9 Brattleboro, Troy NYVermont Welcome Center in middle of interchange, brief overlap with VT 279 on outer ramps
14.39323.1632 (14) VT 7A ShaftsburyAccess via Bennington North State Highway (VT 9025)
Sunderland24.22438.9853 (24) VT 313 to VT 7A Arlington, Sunderland (north), Shaftsbury (south)Eastern terminus of VT 313
Manchester34.50155.5244 (34) VT 11 / VT 30 to VT 7A Manchester Center, ManchesterAlso serves Dorset and Peru
North end of freeway section
Dorset38.89762.599 VT 7A south Manchester CenterNorthern terminus of VT 7A
RutlandWallingford56.16590.389 VT 140 west / VT 140 east Tinmouth, East Wallingford
57.05491.820 VT 7B northSouthern terminus of VT 7B
Clarendon58.58194.277 VT 7B southSouthern terminus of US 7 / VT 7B overlap
59.29795.429 VT 7B northNorthern terminus of US 7 / VT 7B overlap
61.16998.442 VT 103 south Airport, LudlowNorthern terminus of VT 103
62.591100.730 VT 7B North Clarendon
63.393102.021 VT 7BNorthern terminus of VT 7B
Town of Rutland63.844102.747 US 4 west Fair HavenSouthern terminus of US 4 / US 7 overlap
City of Rutland65.944106.127
US 4 Bus.
Eastern terminus of BR US 4
66.081106.347 US 4 eastNorthern terminus of US 4 / US 7 overlap
Pittsford73.057117.574 VT 3 south ProctorNorthern terminus of VT 3
Community of Brandon81.656131.413 VT 73 east (Park St.)Eastern terminus of US 7 / VT 73 overlap
82.072132.082 VT 73 west (Champlain St.)Western terminus of US 7 / VT 73 overlap
AddisonSalisbury91.315146.957 VT 53 south Lake Dunmore, ForestdaleNorthern terminus of VT 53
Middlebury94.157151.531 VT 116 north to VT 125 east East Middlebury, Snow Bowl Ski Area, BristolSouthern terminus of VT 116
94.431151.972 VT 125 east East Middlebury, Airport, RiptonSouthern terminus of US 7 / VT 125 overlap
97.067156.214 VT 125 west Cornwall, Bridportwestern terminus of US 7 / VT 125 overlap
98.285158.174 VT 30 south to VT 125 west / VT 23 Cornwall, HospitalNorthern terminus of VT 30
New Haven106.034170.645 VT 17 east New Haven, BristolWestern terminus of US 7 / VT 17 overlap
106.148170.829 VT 17 west Waltham, Bridge to N.Y. StateEastern terminus of US 7 / VT 17 overlap
Ferrisburgh111.511179.460 VT 22A south VergennesNorthern terminus of VT 22A
ChittendenCharlotte120.723194.285 VT F5 west Charlotte, Ferry to N.Y. StateEastern terminus of VT F-5
South BurlingtonBurlington line130.350–
130.626
209.778–
210.222
I-189 to I-89 Montpelier, St. AlbansCurrent western terminus of I-189
Burlington131.627211.833
US 7 Alt. (Shelburne Street at South Willard Street)
Southern terminus of ALT US 7
132.550213.319 US 2 eastSouthern terminus of US 2 / US 7 overlap
133.490214.831
US 7 Alt. (Riverside Avenue at Hyde Street)
Northern terminus of ALT US 7
Winooski134.793216.928 VT 15 east to I-89 south Essex JunctionWestern terminus of VT 15; Roundabout
Colchester135.804–
135.876
218.555–
218.671
I-89 Burlington, St. Albans, Champlain IslandsExit 16 on I-89
137.620221.478 VT 127 southNorthern terminus of VT 127
139.067223.807 To VT 2A south Essex JunctionUnsigned VT 127
139.261224.119 VT 2A south Essex JunctionNorthern terminus of VT 2A
142.151228.770 US 2 west to I-89 Lake Champlain Islands, New York StateNorthern terminus of US 2 / US 7 overlap
FranklinGeorgia151.526243.857 VT 104A east FairfaxNorthern terminus of VT 104A
151.689–
152.011
244.120–
244.638
I-89 St. Albans, Montreal, BurlingtonExit 18 on I-89
City of St. Albans160.373258.095 VT 36 east (Fairfield St.)Southern terminus of US 7 / VT 36 overlap
160.401258.140 VT 36 west (Lake St.) St. Albans BayNorthern terminus of US 7 / VT 36 overlap
160.952259.027 VT 38 (Lower Newton St.)Eastern terminus of VT 38
161.363259.689 VT 105 east Sheldon Junction, Enosburg FallsWestern terminus of VT 105
Town of St. Albans162.514261.541 VT 207 north to I-89 Burlington, Highgate Center, Swanton, Montreal Que.Southern terminus of VT 207
Village of Swanton168.951271.900 VT 78 east to I-89 Highgate Center, East HighgateSouthern terminus of US 7 / VT 78 overlap
169.033272.032 VT 78 west to VT 36 Alburg, New York StateNorthern terminus of US 7 / VT 78 overlap
Highgate175.963–
176.328
283.185–
283.772
I-89Exit 22 on I-89
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

Suffixed routes

US 7 has two suffixed routes, both of which are old alignments of US 7.

  • VT 7A (27.820 miles or 44.772 kilometres) is an alternate route of US 7 between Bennington and Dorset.[2] The route is signed as "Historic VT 7A" to distinguish it, the original routing of US 7, from the modern US 7 limited-access highway.
  • VT 7B (6.786 miles or 10.921 kilometres) is an alternate route of US 7 through the towns of Wallingford and Clarendon.[2] VT 7B was the original alignment of US 7 prior to the construction of the current US 7 divided highway through the area. The route intersects US 7 five times (including the termini) and overlaps it for 0.716 miles (1.152 km) in Clarendon.[2]

US 7 Alternate


U.S. Route 7 Alternate
LocationBurlington
Length2.107 mi[2] (3.391 km)
The original "Alternate US 7" assembly along the short route.

U.S. Route 7 Alternate (ALT US 7) is an alternate route of US 7 in Burlington. The southbound-only US 7 Alternate begins at the intersection of Hyde Street and Riverside Avenue (US 2 and US 7) and runs for a distance of 2.107 miles (3.391 km)[2] in the following manner: west on Riverside Avenue, south on North and South Winooski avenues, south on St. Paul Street, and south on Shelburne Street to its end at US 7 at the rotary-style intersection with South Willard Street (US 7), Locust Street and Ledge Road. Mainline US 7 travels over Hyde Street and North and South Willard streets until the aforementioned intersection.

As of July 2016, there are three "Alternate US 7" assemblies along the route. The original one is located on Saint Paul Street in Burlington, just south of the intersection with South Winooski Avenue and Howard Street, with the newer two on South Winooski Avenue, with one at the intersection with Pearl Street, and the other at Main Street.

References

  1. State of Vermont Board of Libraries (April 28, 2008). "Vermont Named State Highways and Bridges" (PDF). Department of Libraries, State of Vermont. Retrieved March 27, 2015.
  2. Traffic Research Unit (May 2013). "2012 (Route Log) AADTs for State Highways" (PDF). Policy, Planning and Intermodal Development Division, Vermont Agency of Transportation. Retrieved March 9, 2015.
  3. Bureau of Public Roads & American Association of State Highway Officials (November 11, 1926). United States System of Highways Adopted for Uniform Marking by the American Association of State Highway Officials (Map). 1:7,000,000. Washington, DC: U.S. Geological Survey. OCLC 32889555. Retrieved November 7, 2013 via University of North Texas Libraries.
KML is from Wikidata
U.S. Route 7
Previous state:
Massachusetts
Vermont Next state:
Terminus
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