What was once Columbus day weekend, but now is being adopted as Indigenous Person day in Vermont means a lot of things. A long weekend for school children and federal employees, Octoberfest at the Harpoon Brewery in Windsor and the start of fall cleanup for homeowners. However, beyond the beers consumed, the leaves raked and the extra morning to sleep in, this weekend officially kicks off the foliage season for Central and Southern Vermont. As a result, police will be out in force this weekend enforcing traffic laws along all the rural and major roads across the state.
As a fair warning, we are providing some places to be especially mindful of when soaking in the Vermont scenery so that you leave our lovely state with only fond memories and not a traffic violation complaint:
- Route 7: At times this road can look like a major highway with its passing lanes and long straight stretches of road. However, the speed limit can vary significantly in therese areas from 55-25 with little warning. Be especially careful in the towns of Mount Tabor, Bennington and Wallingford, as officers are often stationed in certain areas where the speed limit drops significantly;
- Route 30: The trip from Brattleboro to Manchester winds through the southern Vermont foothills and can be a great drive to soak in all the foliage. However, traveling though the villages of Jamaica, Newfane, Townshend and Dummerston can also result in viewing the lights of a Windham Sheriff or State Trooper if you get caught staring too much at the mountains instead of the speedometer.
- Route 100: Ludlow to Killington: It is almost a guarantee that the Windsor Sheriff will have heavy patrols out in this area, especially when traveling through the towns of Plymouth, Tyson Corners and Bridgewater. The speeds can drop from 50mph to 25 mph within a short period of time and officers have been trained to shoot their radar within close proximity to these changes.
- I-89 and I-91 Intersection: Traveling through White River Jct. where the two major highways intersect is a great launching point to many Vermont destinations. Keep in mind that the speed limit drops to 55 mph in this zone, as what seemed like a safe cruising speed of 70mph can turn into a $175 ticket in no time.