Commission seeks public input for ideas on how to prevent truckers from getting stuck on Smugglers’ Notch

A planning commission gathered Wednesday to discuss options for solving an ongoing problem – truckers getting stuck on Smugglers’ Notch. 

The Lamoille County Planning Commission in Stowe, Vermont met Wednesday, November 2nd to brainstorm new ways to prevent trucks from driving onto and getting stuck on Smugglers’ Notch. 

Currently, there are posted signs warning truckers not to proceed onto the route. VTrans says that drivers are continuing to get stuck in the area, and when they do, they say they were following their GPS. 

Some ideas thrown around at Wednesday’s meeting were working with GPS companies, installing an overhead barrier, and constructing roundabouts near the notch, reported NBC 5.

Although no decisions were made Wednesday, the consulting firm hired for the project is looking for input from the public, who have concerns about ruining the “aesthetic” of the area with potential solutions. 

“One of the things we are really making sure we’re considering is making sure is the aesthetic character of it,” said said Christopher Sargent, Dubois & King engineering consultant. “The jersey barrier chicane was an idea proposed awhile ago but everyone pretty much agreed that aesthetically didn’t fit with either Stowe or Smugglers Notch in terms of kind of aesthetic to have around their facilities.”

VTrans does say that the number of trucks getting stuck in the area goes down each year. Those with ideas are encouraged to fill out the public survey here.