| Vermont Route 17 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Otter Creek Highway | ||||
| Route information | ||||
| Maintained by VTrans | ||||
| Length: | 40.26 mi[2][3] (64.79 km) | |||
| Existed: | By 1930[1] – present | |||
| Major junctions | ||||
| West end: | NY 185 at New York / Vermont state line in Addison | |||
| US 7 in New Haven VT 116 in Bristol |
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| East end: | VT 100 in Waitsfield | |||
| Location | ||||
| Counties: | Addison, Chittenden, Washington | |||
| Highway system | ||||
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Vermont Route 17 is a 40.409-mile (65.032 km) long state highway in western Vermont, United States. The temporary western terminus is at the Lake Champlain shoreline in Addison just west of its junction with VT 125. The eastern terminus is at VT 100 in Waitsfield. VT 17 was initially much shorter than it is today, extending from the Champlain Bridge to Addison upon assignment. It was extended in the late 1960s through the Green Mountains to Waitsfield.
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The routing of VT 17 varies greatly on opposite sides of the Bristol town center. West of Bristol, the route passes through generally level terrain and connects multiple communities. East of Bristol, VT 17 is more mountainous and more rural in nature.
As of December 2009, VT 17 begins at the Lake Champlain shoreline at the former site of the Champlain Bridge in Addison, Addison County. The route heads northeastward, intersecting VT 125 adjacent to the Chimney Point State Historical Site at Chimney Point. It continues northward along the lakeshore for roughly 2 miles (3 km) (passing D.A.R. State Park) before turning eastward toward Addison.[4]
In the center of Addison, situated 6 miles (10 km) from Lake Champlain, VT 17 intersects VT 22A. VT 17 continues east from Addison, crossing over the Otter Creek and intersecting VT 23 near Weybridge prior to curving to the northeast toward Waltham. Midway between Waltham and New Haven, VT 17 briefly overlaps U.S. Route 7, then continues eastward through New Haven to Bristol. Prior to entering the town center, VT 17 intersects VT 116. VT 116 turns east onto VT 17, joining the route through Bristol along Main Street.[4]
Outside of Bristol, VT 17 and VT 116 are joined by the New Haven River, here marking the northern boundary of the Green Mountain National Forest. The roadway and waterway head east, following a winding route through the Green Mountains. When New Haven splits off to the southeast shortly afterward, VT 17 and VT 116 continue north along Baldwin Creek up to the point where VT 17 and VT 116 diverge. While VT 116 continues north along Beaver Brook, VT 17 remains in the vicinity of Baldwin Creek as it heads northeast through the Green Mountains.[4]
Midway between Bristol and Waitsfield, VT 17 intersects Gore Road, a local road that leads to eastern Burlington 15 miles (24 km) to the north. The route crosses into Chittenden County, as well as the Camel's Hump State Park, shortly afterward. The route leaves Chittenden County and passes into Washington County 2 miles (3 km) later upon traversing the Appalachian Gap, a mountain pass located to the north of Mount Ellen. East of the gap, VT 17 continues through the eastern Green Mountains for 6 miles (10 km) to Waitsfield, where it terminates at VT 100.[4]
The road connecting the ferry landing at Chimney Point to the town center of Addison was designated as VT F-7 ca. 1927. The ferry crossed Lake Champlain into Port Henry.[5] VT F-7 was extended eastward to U.S. Route 7 in New Haven by 1929.[6] In 1929, the Champlain Bridge opened, connecting Chimney Point to Crown Point.[7] By the following year, the segment of Route F-7 west of Route 30A (now VT 22A) in Addison was renumbered to Route 17, which now began on the Champlain Bridge at the New York state line.[1] In 1933, all of VT 17 and the portion of VT F-7's former routing between Addison and New Haven were added to the state highway system. Prior to this time, maintenance of both roads was performed by the towns through which they passed. VT 17 was subsequently extended eastward to New Haven along VT F-7's former routing.[8] As part of the 1935 state highway expansion, additional mileage was added to VT 17, which was extended 4.3 miles (6.9 km) to Vermont Route 116 in Bristol.[9]
In 1936, a 2.7 miles (4.3 km) portion of the McCullough Turnpike in Fayston,[8] which was chartered in 1933 but proved unprofitable,[10] was deeded back to the state of Vermont and renamed to McCullough State Highway. The road was paved during the period of 1936 and 1940. The rest of the McCullough Turnpike to Vermont Route 100 in Waitsfield became part of the state highway system in 1956. In 1965, the state legislature authorized the extension of Vermont Route 17 from Bristol to Starksboro to connect with McCullough State Highway.[8] The VT 17 designation was extended east along McCullough State Highway by 1972.[11][12] In October 2009, the Champlain Bridge was closed due to safety concerns.[13] It was demolished two months later, temporarily truncating VT 17 to the eastern shoreline of Lake Champlain.[14] The replacement bridge reopened on November 7, 2011.[15]
| County | Location | Mile[2][3] | Destinations | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Addison |
Addison | 0.00 | NY 185 (Crown Point Road) | |
| 0.17 | VT 125 | Western terminus of VT 125 | ||
| 8.23 | VT 22A | |||
| Weybridge | 11.00 | VT 23 | Northern terminus of VT 23 | |
| New Haven | 15.59 | US 7 north | Northern terminus of overlap | |
| 15.70 | US 7 south | Southern terminus of overlap | ||
| Bristol | 20.04 | VT 116 south | Western terminus of overlap | |
| 24.36 | VT 116 north | Eastern terminus of overlap | ||
| Washington |
Waitsfield | 40.26 | VT 100 | |
| 1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi Concurrency terminus • Closed • Unopened |
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