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| Vermont Route 116 | |
|---|---|
| State | Vermont |
| Type | VT |
| Route | 116 |
| Length mi | 58.9 |
| Established | 1920s |
| Direction a | South |
| Terminus a | Massachusetts |
| Direction b | North |
| Terminus b | Burlington |
| Counties | Bennington County, Rutland County, Addison County, Chittenden County |
Vermont Route 116 is a north–south state highway that runs through western Vermont, connecting rural communities from the Massachusetts border to Burlington. The route traverses diverse landscapes, including the southern Green Mountains, the Champlain Valley, and several historic town centers such as Manchester, Middlebury, and Hinesburg. It serves as a regional arterial linking to major corridors like U.S. Route 7, Interstate 89, and U.S. Route 2.
From the Massachusetts border northward, the highway enters Landgrove and proceeds toward Manchester, intersecting state routes that access Bromley Mountain and Equinox Mountain. In the Manchester area the road passes near landmarks such as the American Museum of Fly Fishing, Hildene, and connects travelers to Bennington via Vermont Route 7A. Continuing into Rutland County, the corridor crosses rural valleys and links to Fair Haven by way of local roads while skirting the eastern slopes of the Green Mountains National Forest. Entering Addison County, the highway enters the town of Middlebury, where it intersects U.S. Route 7 and provides access to Middlebury College and the Henry Sheldon Museum. Northward through Bristol and Starksboro, the route climbs from the Champlain Valley toward the Mad River Valley and connects with roads leading to Sugarbush Resort and Mad River Glen. In Chittenden County the road runs through Hinesburg and then joins or crosses expressways including Interstate 89 before terminating in Burlington near University of Vermont and the Lake Champlain waterfront, with proximate connections to U.S. Route 2 and local streets serving Downtown Burlington.
The corridor developed in the 19th century as a network of turnpikes and county roads that facilitated trade between Vermont's agricultural towns and market centers such as Burlington and Rutland. During the early 20th century state highway commissions formalized alignments; the road was designated in the 1920s amid systematization efforts that also produced numbered routes like U.S. Route 7 and U.S. Route 2. Federal programs during the New Deal era and later interstate-era improvements upgraded bridges and pavement, improving access to recreational destinations like Green Mountain National Forest and ski areas including Sugarbush Resort and Mad River Glen. Local preservation efforts in towns such as Manchester and Middlebury have shaped driveway designs, streetscape projects, and historic district boundaries along the corridor, intersecting with initiatives led by entities like the Vermont Agency of Transportation and regional planning commissions.
The route intersects regional and national corridors that structure travel in western Vermont: connections with Massachusetts Route 8 at the state line; junctions with Vermont Route 7A and U.S. Route 7 in the southern towns and Middlebury; crossings of Vermont Route 17 and links to Vermont Route 100 near mountain recreation areas; access to Interstate 89 interchanges in Hinesburg/Burlington suburbs; and terminal interfaces with U.S. Route 2 and municipal arterials in Burlington. These intersections facilitate travel to sites including Bennington Battle Monument, Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historical Park, Saint Michael's College, and the Lake Champlain Islands via connecting highways.
Planned and proposed projects affecting the corridor include pavement rehabilitation, bridge replacement programs funded through the Federal Highway Administration and administered by the Vermont Agency of Transportation, and safety improvements such as lane restriping, shoulder additions, and intersection visibility upgrades promoted by regional planning commissions like the Chittenden County Regional Planning Commission. Multi-modal initiatives seek to enhance bicycle and pedestrian facilities to improve connections to destinations like Middlebury College, University of Vermont, and greenway projects associated with Lake Champlain. Climate resilience planning in Vermont has prioritized culvert upgrades and stormwater mitigation along river crossings tied to the Mad River and tributaries, involving partnerships with U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and state environmental agencies.
The route functions within a network that includes primary north–south arteries U.S. Route 7 and Vermont Route 100, east–west connectors U.S. Route 2 and Vermont Route 17, and interstate access via Interstate 89. It links to scenic byways such as the Champlain Valley National Heritage Partnership corridors and provides feeder access to tourist destinations including Bromley Mountain, Stratton Mountain, Trapp Family Lodge, and historic attractions like Hildene and Ethan Allen Homestead. Regional transit systems such as Green Mountain Transit and intercity services use segments of the highway for route alignments, while freight and agricultural movements rely on its connections to marketplaces in Burlington and Rutland.
Category:State highways in Vermont