Vermont Route 15

Infobox road
state=VT
type=VT
route=15
length_mi=68.984
length_ref=cite web |url=http://www.aot.state.vt.us/Planning/Documents/TrafResearch/Publications/2006%20Route%20Log%20AADTs%20State%20Highways-Final.pdf |title=2006 (Route Log) AADTs - State Highways |month=June | year=2007 |format=PDF |publisher=Vermont Agency of Transportation |pages=pp. 38–40 | accessdate=2008-02-21]
length_round=2
established=1922
direction_a=West
starting_terminus=jct|state=VT|US|2|US|7 in Winooski
junction=
direction_b=East
ending_terminus=
counties=Chittenden, Lamoille, Caledonia
previous_type=VT
previous_route=14
next_type=VT
next_route=16

Vermont Route 15 is an east-west state highway in northern Vermont. Its western terminus is at U.S. Route 2 and U.S. Route 7 in Winooski and its eastern terminus is at US 2 in Danville. It runs for 68.984 miles and is known as the Grand Army of the Republic Highway.

Its numbering originates from when it was part of New England Interstate Route 15 in the 1920s. Most of New England Route 15 is now U.S. Route 2 (from Danville, Vermont to Houlton, Maine).

Vermont Route 15A is a spur route of VT 15 into the village of Morrisville. VT 15A begins at VT 15 and ends at VT 100.

Route description

VT 15 begins as "East Allen Street" in the center of Winooski at an intersection with Main Street (US 2 and US 7). It proceeds east for 0.6 miles to a partial interchange with I-89 (at Exit 15). Right after the I-89 junction, VT 15 enters the town of Colchester, with the road becoming known as "College Parkway". It runs for only 1.4 miles in Colchester, passing by the Fort Ethan Allen military installation before entering the village of Essex Junction in the town of Essex. In Essex Junction, the road is known as "Pearl Street" and continues for about two miles to a five-way intersection with VT 2A and VT 117 at the village center, near the Essex Junction-Burlington railroad station. It turns left onto "Main Street" at the village center and continues northeast out of the village for 1.6 miles to a junction with the VT 289 expressay (at Exit 9). From there it continues east through Essex Center along "Center Road" and "Jericho Road" as it heads into the town of Jericho, soon entering the village of Jericho. As VT 15 continues past the village, it turns northward to enter the town of Underhill. It runs for about eight miles in a northerly direction through mostly rural areas in the towns of Underhill and Westford before finally entering the town of Cambridge. [ [http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&hl=en&geocode=1399224548078714981,44.491060,-73.185780&saddr=Main+St%2FUS-2+W%2FUS-7+N+%4044.491060,+-73.185780&daddr=44.634704,-72.914371&mra=mi&mrsp=1,0&sz=13&sll=44.620044,-72.900295&sspn=0.057671,0.1157&ie=UTF8&ll=44.563567,-73.057709&spn=0.23091,0.462799&z=11 Google Maps - Route of VT 15 in Chittenden County] ]

After entering Cambridge town, VT 15 meets the eastern end of VT 104 then turns eastward and begins following the path of the Lamoille River on its south bank. Half a mile later, VT 15 enters the village of Cambridge then crosses the Lamoille River to follow the north bank instead. VT 15 continues eastward for another two miles to the village of Jeffersonville, crossing the Lamoille River again and intersecting with VT 108 in the center of the village. VT 15 continues northeast from the village for several miles, still following the Lamoille River, then turns sharply to the southeast with the river. VT 15 soon enters the town of Johnson, continuing southeast for about three miles until it reaches the village of Johnson. In the center of the village, it has a junction with VT 100C, a spur route from southbound VT 100 to westbound VT 15. VT 15 continues southeast for 2.5 miles into the town of Hyde Park. About 1.58 miles beyond the town line, the road enters the village of Hyde Park, where it is joined from the north by VT 100. The VT 15/VT 100 overlap continues for another mile into the town of Morristown. Just north of the village of Morrisville, VT 100 separates from VT 15 to head south into the village, while VT 15 continues east. About 1.6 miles further, VT 15's spur route, VT 15A, splits from VT 15 heading southwest into Morrisville. VT 15 continues its eastward trek into the town of Wolcott, running through mostly rural area for seven miles through the town. It passes through the town center, before proceeding into the town of Hardwick. [ [http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&hl=en&geocode=14042622635629196624,44.634530,-72.914200&saddr=VT-15+%4044.634530,+-72.914200&daddr=44.525028,-72.418957&mra=mi&mrsp=1&sz=13&sll=44.527109,-72.41621&sspn=0.057764,0.1157&ie=UTF8&ll=44.591445,-72.59491&spn=0.461598,0.925598&z=10 Google Maps - Route of VT 15 in Lamoille County] ]

In the town of Hardwick, the Lamoille River, which VT 15 had been closely following, opens up into Hardwick Lake. At the lake shore, VT 14 joins VT 15 from the north and the pair continues past the lake into the town center. At the town center, VT 14 separates to the south. VT 15 travels east, still following the Lamoille River, for another 2.4 miles until the junction with VT 16. VT 16 takes over the Lamoille River route as it heads northeast while VT 15 continues southeast. VT 15 soon enters the town of Walden and runs for about five miles until it reaches the Walden town center. Past the town center, VT 15 turns sharply south towards Jones Pond in the town of Danville. The road follows the north shore of Jones Pond, turning from south to east until it ends at an intersection with U.S. Route 2 in the West Danville community. [ [http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&hl=en&geocode=17928974857630908942,44.524955,-72.419123&saddr=Grand+Army+of+the+Republic+Hwy%2FVT-15+%4044.524955,+-72.419123&daddr=44.409075,-72.195625&mra=mi&mrsp=1&sz=14&sll=44.41723,-72.189703&sspn=0.028936,0.05785&ie=UTF8&ll=44.488178,-72.279053&spn=0.231209,0.462799&z=11 Google Maps - Route of VT 15 in Caledonia County] ]

History

In 1922, the New England states adopted a region-wide route marking system. Major inter-state routes were assigned numbers between 1 and 99.Motor Sign Uniformity, New York Times, April 16, 1922] The east-west route beginning in Burlington, Vermont, through Randolph, New Hampshire and Bangor, Maine, to Houlton, Maine was designated as New England Route 15. ["Automobile Legal Association Green Book", 1925 edition, (Scarborough Motor Guide Co., Boston, 1925). A route log of the New England Inter-state routes is included in the book showing rough mileage.] Within the state of Vermont, Route 15 followed modern US 2/US 7 to Winooski then modern VT 15 to Danville then modern US 2 to Lunenberg, where it crossed into Lancaster, New Hampshire."Official Automobile Blue Book, Vol. 1", 1926 edition, (Automobile Blue Books Inc., Chicago, 1926)] In late 1926, the U.S. Highway system was established nationwideUnited States Numbered Highways, "American Highways" (AASHO), April 1927] and many of the New England inter-state routes became U.S. routes. In Maine and New Hampshire, U.S. Route 2 was designated on New England Route 15, continuing along Route 15 up to St. Johnsbury, Vermont."Official Automobile Blue Book, Vol. 1", 1927 edition, (Automobile Blue Books Inc., Chicago, 1927)] However, between St. Johnsbury and Burlington, US 2 was initially designated on a more southerly alignment, first heading south to Wells River, then northwest via Montpelier to Burlington (US 2 was later relocated between St. Johnsbury and Montpelier). The piece of old New England Route 15 in Vermont from St. Johnsbury to Burlington became simply Vermont Route 15. The Vermont state highway system was established in 1931, [cite web|url=http://www.aot.state.vt.us/planning/documents/mapping/publications/Outline_History_VTStateHwys.pdf|title=Outline History of Vermont State Highways|publisher=Vermont Department of Highways|date=1965|format=PDF|accessdate=2008-02-22] with the state officially taking control over maintenance of VT 15. The route was streamlined to remove the unnecessary overlaps at both its ends, truncating it to its modern Winooski to West Danville designation. ["Automobile Legal Association Green Book", 1938/39 edition, (Scarborough Motor Guide Co., Boston, 1938). The map in 1938 no longer shows any overlaps at both termini.]

uffixed routes

VT 15A (convert|1.824|mi|km) is a short spur state highway located in Lamoille County serving as a connector from westbound VT 15 to Morrisville and southbound VT 100. The western terminus is at Vermont Route 100 in the center of Morrisville and the eastern terminus is at VT 15 in Morristown. VT 15A also intersects the northern terminus of Vermont Route 12 just east of VT 100.

Major intersections

VTint
county=Chittenden
cspan=5
mile=0.000
road=jct|state=VT|US|2|US|7
location=Winooski
lspan=2VTint
mile=0.623
road=jct|state=VT|I|89|dir1=south
notes=Exit 15 (I-89)VTint
mile=4.338
road=
location=Essex Junction
notes=Western terminus of VT 117VTint
mile=5.995
road=
location=Essex
lspan=2
notes=Exit 9 (VT 289)VTint
mile=7.485
road=VTint
county=Lamoille
cspan=7
mile=23.712
road=
location=Cambridge
lspan=3VTint
type=mplex
mile=26.593
road= south
notes=Western terminus of concurrencyVTint
type=mplex
mile=26.954
road= north
notes=Eastern terminus of concurrencyVTint
mile=35.937
road=
location=Johnson
notes=Southern terminus of VT 100CVTint
type=mplex
mile=40.330
road= north
location=Hyde Park
area=village
notes=Northern terminus of concurrencyVTint
type=mplex
mile=42.261
road= south
location=Morristown
notes=Southern terminus of concurrencyVTint
mile=43.932
road=
location=Morrisville
notes=Eastern terminus of VT 15AVTint
county=Caledonia
cspan=4
type=mplex
mile=55.001
road= north
location=Hardwick
lspan=3
notes=Northern terminus of concurrencyVTint
type=mplex
mile=56.139
road= south
notes=Southern terminus of concurrencyVTint
mile=58.548
road=
notes=Southern terminus of VT 16VTint
mile=68.984
road=
location=Danville

References