Vermont’s First Diverging Diamond Interchange
The Vermont Agency of Transportation (VTrans) is improving the roadway along the U.S. Routes 2/7 (U.S. 2/7) corridor, in the vicinity of Interstate 89 (I-89) Exit 16, to enhance mobility and safety in Colchester, Vermont. The project area extends from the Colchester-Winooski town line north for approximately 1 mile to just beyond the intersection of Sunderland Woods Road at U.S. 2/7. The core of the project is to reconfigure the existing tight diamond interchange to a Diverging Diamond Interchange at I-89 Exit 16.
Project Updates
Weekly Construction Update - Friday, November 21, 2025
DATE: Friday, November 21, 2025
SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT: Crews will be off the roadway by noon on Wednesday, November 26, and will return to the project area on Monday, December 1, at 6 AM, in observance of the Thanksgiving holiday.
TRAFFIC IMPACT AND DURATION: From Sunday, November 23, at 9 PM through Monday, November 24, at 6 AM, the Interstate 89 (I-89) Exit 16 southbound on-ramp will be closed overnight for drainage work. During the closure, U.S. Route 2/7 traffic seeking to turn onto I-89 southbound at Exit 16 will be detoured to Exit 15 in Winooski. Drivers will be directed to travel southbound on U.S. 2/7, turn right onto Tigan Street, turn left onto Weaver Street, turn left onto West Allen Street, turn right onto U.S. 2/7 (Main Street) southbound, enter the Winooski roundabout and take the third exit onto Vermont Route 15, continue eastbound to Exit 15 and turn right onto the Exit 15 southbound on-ramp to enter I-89 southbound. Signage and message boards will be posted at U.S. 2/7 near Exit 16 and along the detour route to guide drivers. More details will be issued in an upcoming Traffic Alert.
On Monday, November 24, and Tuesday, November 25, between 6 AM and 3 PM, and Wednesday, November 26, between 6 AM and 12 PM, U.S. Route 2/7 (U.S. 2/7) will have lane closures along U.S. 2/7 near Whitcomb Street (Champlain Farms) and Rathe Road (the Park and Ride) for drainage work. The I-89 southbound on-ramp and northbound on-ramp will have lane width reductions.
In addition, independent utility companies are on-site conducting independent utility work along U.S. 2/7 throughout the project limits, under lane closures.
Motorists should expect significant delays when traveling through the work zone and along adjacent roadways. Please plan ahead, leaving plenty of additional time to get to and from your destination. Whenever possible, consider alternate routes or other forms of transportation such as carpooling, ridesharing, transit, biking, or walking. Drivers should slow down, use caution, and follow flaggers and road signs.
CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITIES: Crews will continue drainage work along U.S. 2/7 near Whitcomb Street and near Rathe Road. East Coast Signals will be on-site installing temporary traffic signals at the intersection of U.S. 2/7 and Mountain View Drive off the roadway. Crews will remove material from previous blasting events along U.S. 2/7 near the I-89 northbound off-ramp. No blasting activities are anticipated to take place next week, with blasting activities anticipated to resume the week of December 1.
Independent utility work will take place along U.S. 2/7 throughout the project limits under lane closures.
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Weekly Construction Update - Friday, November 14, 2025
DATE: Friday, November 14, 2025
SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT: The Interstate 89 Exit 16 southbound on-ramp is tentatively scheduled to be closed overnight from 10 PM on Sunday, November 23, through 6 AM on Monday, November 24, for drainage work, with traffic maintained via a signed detour route via Exit 15. More details regarding this overnight ramp closure will be issued in upcoming Construction Updates and a supplemental Traffic Alert.
TRAFFIC IMPACT AND DURATION: From Monday, November 17, through Friday, November 21, between 6 AM and 3 PM, U.S. Route 2/7 (U.S. 2/7) will have lane closures along U.S. 2/7 near Whitcomb Street (Champlain Farms) and Rathe Road (the Park and Ride) for drainage work.
In addition, independent utility companies are on-site conducting independent utility work along U.S. 2/7 throughout the project limits, under lane closures.
Motorists should expect significant delays when traveling through the work zone and along adjacent roadways. Please plan ahead, leaving plenty of additional time to get to and from your destination. Whenever possible, consider alternate routes or other forms of transportation such as carpooling, ridesharing, transit, biking, or walking. Drivers should slow down, use caution, and follow flaggers and road signs.
CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITIES: Crews will continue work on the stormwater ponds near the I-89 southbound on-ramp and on the east side of U.S. 2/7 north of Hercules Drive. This work will take place off the roadway. Additional drainage work will take place along U.S. 2/7 near Whitcomb Street and Champlain Farms and near Rathe Road and the Park and Ride. This work will require lane closures along U.S. 2/7. East Coast Signals will be on-site installing temporary traffic signals at the intersection of U.S. 2/7 and Mountain View Drive/Lower Mountain View Drive. This work will take place off the roadway. No blasting activities are anticipated to take place next week, with blasting activities anticipated to resume the week of December 1.
Independent utility work will take place along U.S. 2/7 throughout the project limits under lane closures.
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Weekly Construction Update - Friday, November 7, 2025
DATE: Friday, November 7, 2025
TRAFFIC IMPACT AND DURATION: On Sunday, November 9, between 7 PM and 6 AM, U.S. Route 2/7 (U.S. 2/7) northbound will be reduced to a single lane near the Interstate 89 (I-89) southbound on-ramp. From Monday, November 10, through Friday, November 14, between 6 AM and 3 PM, crews will be working throughout the project limits under shoulder closures along the east side of U.S. 2/7 between Hercules Drive and Champlain Drive (Monday only), northbound and southbound shoulder and lane closures along U.S. 2/7 just south of Rathe Road, and shoulder closures along the I-89 southbound on-ramp. In addition, intermittent blasting events will require U.S. 2/7 between South Park Drive and Mountain View Drive and all intersecting sideroads and interstate ramps to be shut down for approximately 10 minutes. To learn more about traffic impacts associated with blasting activities, click here.
Motorists should expect significant delays when traveling through the work zone and along adjacent roadways. Please plan ahead, leaving plenty of additional time to get to and from your destination. Whenever possible, consider alternate routes or other forms of transportation such as carpooling, ridesharing, transit, biking, or walking. Drivers should slow down, use caution, and follow flaggers and road signs.
CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITIES: Sunday night and Tuesday through Friday during the daytime hours, crews will continue drainage work near the I-89 southbound on-ramp. Monday during the daytime hours, crews will continue working on the drainage pond north of Hercules Drive and conduct testing for ledge along Mountain View Drive. Monday through Friday during the daytime hours, crews will conduct testing for ledge along both sides of U.S. 2/7 just south of Rathe Road and start drainage work in the parking lot of The Lighthouse Restaurant. In addition, intermittent daytime blast events will take place throughout the week on the west side of U.S. 2/7 between the I-89 northbound on-ramp and Mountain View Drive, near the CVS Pharmacy.
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Weekly Construction Update - Friday, October 31, 2025
DATE: Friday, October 31, 2025
SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT: The Interstate 89 Exit 16 southbound on-ramp is scheduled to be closed overnight from 10 PM on Sunday, November 16, through 6 AM on Monday, November 17, for drainage work, with traffic maintained via a signed detour route. More details regarding this overnight ramp closure will be issued in upcoming Construction Updates and supplemental Traffic Alerts.
TRAFFIC IMPACT AND DURATION: From Monday, November 3, through Friday, November 7, between 6 AM and 3 PM, U.S. 2/7 will have a lane closure along the east side of the roadway between South Park Drive and the I-89 southbound on-ramp for drainage work, and along the west side of the roadway between the I-89 northbound on-ramp and Mountain View Drive for blasting. There is potential for a lane reduction on South Park Drive at its intersection with U.S. 2/7, and width reduction on the I-89 southbound on-ramp. For each blasting event, U.S. 2/7 between South Park Drive and Mountain View Drive and all intersecting sideroads will be shut down for approximately 10 minutes, and temporary traffic holds (rolling roadblocks) will occur on the I-89 Exit 16 interchange ramps. To learn more about traffic impacts associated with blasting activities, click here.
Motorists should expect significant delays when traveling through the work zone and along adjacent roadways. Please plan ahead, leaving plenty of additional time to get to and from your destination. Whenever possible, consider alternate routes or other forms of transportation such as carpooling, ridesharing, transit, biking, or walking. Drivers should slow down, use caution, and follow flaggers and road signs.
CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITIES: Next week, crews will continue drainage work on the east side of U.S. 2/7 between the I-89 southbound on-ramp and South Park Drive, including along the southbound on-ramp and South Park Drive. Blasting events will continue to take place on the west side of U.S. 2/7 between the I-89 northbound on-ramp and Mountain View Drive, near the CVS Pharmacy.
Read moreDriving Animations
Experience Exit 16 DDI
