Town weighs new traffic plan near Vermont Country Deli

Select Board Chairman Oscar Heller said the board recognizes both the deli’s popularity and the strain that popularity has placed on neighbors.

Town officials will keep studying traffic changes around Williams Street and the Vermont Country Deli, after the Select Board voted Tuesday to have staff bring back new ideas by the end of the year.

The 3-2 decision directs town employees to examine possible combinations of One Way and Do Not Enter signs, including versions with time restrictions. The board’s discussion centered on how to reduce congestion, improve parking, and limit spillover into nearby residential streets.

The issue has become more pressing as the deli has drawn larger crowds, especially after gaining wider attention online. Select Board Chairman Oscar Heller said the board recognizes both the deli’s popularity and the strain that popularity has placed on neighbors. He also said the Roswell family, who live near the business, deserved credit for raising their concerns directly with the board.

Residents told the board that traffic tied to the deli has created repeated problems. Ken Roswell Jr. said the neighborhood has been dealing with heavy vehicle use connected to the business and added that the deli’s social media presence has made it a destination for more visitors. Gail Roswell said the impact has been severe for households behind the deli, describing drivers parking in private driveways and acting aggressively.

Williams Street has already undergone several temporary changes. According to a memo from town staff, the western leg was closed for much of the fall, winter and spring because of construction related to the Williams Street retaining wall. During that time, the eastern leg was turned into a one-way entrance from Western Avenue as part of a trial to see whether safety and circulation would improve near the deli.

After the project ended, the Department of Public Works reopened the western leg. Later, following a May discussion of the Western Avenue intersections study, the Select Board asked staff to continue working on the traffic problems identified at that meeting. Staff then put in place another pilot arrangement based on the study’s recommendations.

That setup reopened the western leg for two-way movement between the market annex parking lot and Western Avenue, while also making part of the street one way from the parking lot toward the rear of the Vermont Country Deli. The one-way stretch allowed parallel parking. Town workers also installed stanchions and a No Right Turn sign at the end of the western leg to discourage deli-related traffic from entering the neighborhood, and they striped additional parking spaces after losing some spots in front of the business.

Other steps were added near Larkin Street and at the front of the deli to make turning around more difficult, reduce parking at the corner, and improve sight lines for drivers heading onto Western Avenue. The eastern leg of Williams Street was returned to two-way traffic.

Since then, residents at the western end of Williams Street have asked the town to make the route permanently one-way outbound to Route 9 at the deli. Any permanent change affecting the eastern leg would require an ordinance update and two readings.

Board member Peter Fish Case said the traffic situation is difficult, but also noted that he does not want to criticize a business for thriving. He said the board should finally bring forward a proposal that can win broader support.