Hello Coworking Members,

The holiday season is upon us! Please know that the Lightning Jar will be available to you on Thanksgiving (Nov. 22), and you will need to use the Depot St. entrance as VSECU will be closed. Feel free to park in the Bennington Station lot across the street. The rest of the weekend will be business as usual. I hope you are all staying warm and have a wonderful Thanksgiving. 

Best,
Michelle

Friday, December 14 the Lightning Jar will close at 5pm for carpet cleaning. We'll reopen bright and early Saturday morning. Please make other plans for the evening.

Route 9: Work begins in the vicinity of the 4 Chimneys Inn and continues east for approximately 2 miles through downtown Bennington and ends at the state highway limits (near Bakkerij Krijnen).

• Final paving of side roads along Route 9 is complete 
  
• Paving of mainline is scheduled to begin Friday, 9/27 starting on Route 9 and working West. Crews are currently scheduled to pave on Saturday, 9/30. 
  
• It is anticipated that paving along the west portion of Route 9 will be completed mid-week next week (week of 10/1) weather and conditions permitting.
  
• New curb and sidewalk has been completed on the West end of Route 9 near Monument Ave. Topsoil, seed and mulch will be placed in this location.

Route 7: Work begins near the Park Lawn Cemetery and continues north for approximately 1.5 miles to Veteran's Memorial Drive (near the Chamber of Commerce). 

• Crews are scheduled to pave side roads along the south end of Route 7 next week. Once side roads along 7S are done, mainline paving on Route 7S will begin. 
  
• Crews will continue adjusting structures along Route 7 for the remainder of this week into next week. This work will be ongoing. ​
  
• A few locations of curb and sidewalk work along Route 7 are nearing completion.

PARKING: Temporary parking restrictions are now in place within the active construction zones for the following day. Temporary no parking signs will be put in place in advance for areas that are to be temporarily restricted. Please be advised that cars remaining in temporary no parking areas when work commences each morning will be towed at the owner's expense.This is necessary in order to allow construction activities to progress.  

SIGNALS: Signals are still in the 30 day trial period. Crews will monitor the performance/phasing of the signals over the next 30 days. 

SIGNS: Permanent sign installation will continue along Routes 7 & 9 for the remainder of this week into next week. 

67 and 67A: Work begins on Route 67A at the State Highway limit (near the Capstone Church) and proceeds northerly for approximately 3.3 miles to the intersection with Route 67. The project along Route 67 extends from the State Highway limits near the Homestead Mews progressing easterly to the town line of North Bennington and Shaftsbury.

• Paving of driveways and side roads is tentatively scheduled to occur late in the week of 10/1. The scheduling of this work has yet to be confirmed. 
  
• Work on manhole and storm drain structures along Routes 67 & 67A will continue for the rest of this week and into next week if necessary. 
  
• Crews are scheduled to work on guardrail on Friday, 9/28 and Monday, 10/1. 

Please focus on safety when driving through the construction work zone and remember, it is against the law to use a hand held cell phone while driving in Vermont.
  
Contact Natalie Boyle, Project Outreach Coordinator, EIV Technical Services, with any questions or concerns in regard to this project at 802-855-3893 or at nboyle@eivtech.com. For additional information regarding the construction project occurring in Bennington this summer please go to our regional Facebook page entitled “VTrans Rutland Region Construction Contracts”. Periodic updates and pictures may be posted from time to time.

Construction will continue on Route 7 this week. Once the shim coat on Route 7 is complete, paving operations will move to Route 67A. Sidewalks along Route 7 may be closed this week. Please stay off the fresh concrete and follow sidewalk closure detours. There will continue to be temporary parking bans in active construction zones. Lightning Jar members are welcome to park in the Rite Aid lot or across the street in the Depot St. lot. 

Contact Natalie Boyle, Project Outreach Coordinator, EIV Technical Services, with any questions or concerns in regard to this project at 802-855-3893 or at nboyle@eivtech.com. For additional information regarding the construction project occurring in Bennington this summer please go to our regional Facebook page entitled “VTrans Rutland Region Construction Contracts”. Periodic updates and pictures may be posted from time to time.

LABOR DAY HOLIDAY: Crews will be off of the roadway by noon on Friday, 8/31 in observance of the Labor Day holiday. Work will resume on Tuesday, 9/4/18 at 7:00 AM. 

Route 7: Work will continue on both 7 North and 7 South and continue into next week. One-lane alternating traffic will be required in these work zones. Traffic control and uniformed traffic officers will be onsite helping to direct the flow of traffic.  

Route 9: Sidewalk ramps will continue on route 9. PLEASE STAY OFF FRESH CONCRETE AND FOLLOW SIDEWALK CLOSURE DETOURS. 

ROUTE 67 is scheduled for a full closer at the railroad crossing near the Shaftsbury town line beginning Friday 9/7. The road will reopen to through traffic Monday 9/10. 

SIGNS: Permanent sign installation has been rescheduled for the week of 9/4 (after the Labor Day holiday). Work is tentatively scheduled to begin on the western end of the project on Route 9 (near the 4 Chimneys Inn) and progress easterly toward downtown. Sign work will be ongoing for several weeks. 

PARKING: Temporary parking restrictions are now in place within the active construction zones for the following day. Temporary no parking signs will be put in place in advance for areas that are to be temporarily restricted. Please be advised that cars remaining in temporary no parking areas when work commences each morning will be towed at the owner's expense.This is necessary in order to allow construction activities to progress.
​
Contact Natalie Boyle, Project Outreach Coordinator, EIV Technical Services, with any questions or concerns in regard to this project at 802-855-3893 or at nboyle@eivtech.com. For additional information regarding the construction project occurring in Bennington this summer please go to our regional Facebook page entitled “VTrans Rutland Region Construction Contracts”. Periodic updates and pictures may be posted from time to time.

Please focus on safety when driving through the construction work zone and remember, it is against the law to use a hand held cell phone while driving in Vermont.

There will be a small business focus group in the large coworking space on Tuesday, September 4 from 10am to noon. The space will still be available for coworking. Those that require a quieter space to work in should plan to make other arrangements or book the conference room for the morning. For more information on on the CEDS (Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy) process, please contact Jonathan Cooper at BCRC.

Routes 7 & 9 Paving Project

PROJECT LOCATION:   The Bennington Paving Project begins along Route 9 in the vicinity of the 4 Chimneys Inn and continues east for approximately 2 miles through downtown Bennington and ends at the state highway limits (near Bakkerij Krijnen). The Route 7 portion of the project begins near the Park Lawn Cemetery and continues north for approximately 1.5 miles to Veteran's Memorial Drive (near the Chamber of Commerce). 

Work to be performed includes cold planing of the existing pavement, surface preparation, paving with a leveling course and a wearing course, drainage, line striping and stop bar detection.

LABOR DAY HOLIDAY: Crews will be off of the roadway by noon on Friday, 8/31 in observance of the Labor Day holiday. Work will resume on Tuesday, 9/4/18 at 7:00 AM. 

MILLING: Crews have finished milling mainline on Route 7 and will begin to mill side roads along Route 7 by the end of the week. Motorists are urged to use caution when driving on milled surfaces and pay close attention to raised structures in the roadway.  

ROADWAY STRUCTURES: Crews will continue adjusting manholes and storm drain structures along Route 9 throughout the rest of this week. Once structures have been completed along Route 9, crews will begin working on structures along Route 7. Work on structures along Route 7 will be ongoing throughout the week of 8/27. One-lane alternating traffic will be required within these work zones.

PAVING: Paving of the shim coat along Route 9 is scheduled to continue next week, weather permitting. Crews will be working from the western limits of the project by the Four Chimneys Inn and work east toward downtown to the vicinity of Benmont Ave. When paving along Route 9 has been completed, operations will move to the Route 7 portion of the project. Paving is currently scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday, 8/28-8/29.

SIGNALS: Crews will begin signal work throughout the project beginning Monday, 8/27. One lane alternating traffic patterns will be required at times while signal work is being completed. Traffic control and uniformed traffic officers will be onsite helping to direct the flow of traffic.

SIDEWALK RAMPS: Crews are scheduled to begin working on handicap ramps located at the end of the sidewalks along Route 9. It is anticipated that this work will begin on the eastern portion of Route 9 and progress west toward downtown.

SIGNS: Permanent sign installation  will begin Monday, 8/27 on the western end of the project on Route 9 (near the 4 Chimneys Inn) and progress easterly toward downtown. Sign work will be ongoing for several weeks.

PARKING: Temporary parking restrictions are now in place within the active construction zones for the following day. Temporary no parking signs will be put in place in advance for areas that are to be temporarily restricted. Please be advised that cars remaining in temporary no parking areas when work commences each morning will be towed at the owner's expense.This is necessary in order to allow construction activities to progress.

Route 67 & 67A Paving Project

Project Location: The paving project along 67 and 67A begins on Route 67A at the State Highway limit (near the Capstone Church) and proceeds northerly for approximately 3.3 miles to the intersection with Route 67.The project along Route 67 extends from the State Highway limits near the Homestead Mews progressing easterly to the town line of North Bennington and Shaftsbury.

Work to be performed includes cold planing, paving of leveling and wearing courses, drainage improvements and installation of a concrete at-grade railroad crossing (near the North Bennington Post Office).

MILLING: Crews began milling on Wednesday at the project limits near the Capstone Church and progressed to the north throughout the day. Milling along the main portion of the road for entire project is scheduled to be completed by the end of the work day today. Once the main portion of the road has been milled, crews will mill side roads along the project. All milling along the project should be completed by the end of the week.
Motorists are urged to use caution when driving on milled surfaces and pay close attention to raised structures in the roadway.   

The Lightning Jar will be hosting the Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy's (CEDS) Small Business focus group on Wednesday, August 22 from 9:30 to 11:30 am in the large coworking space. Those that need a quieter or more private place to work for the day are encouraged to sign out the conference room or make other arrangements.

The Bennington Area Chamber will be hosting it's monthly Lunch & Learn program at the Lightning Jar on Tuesday, August 14th from noon to 1pm. The event is free for Chamber members and Lightning Jar members, so you can eat, grow, and network with other professionals in the area. Bring your favorite lunch and stop by! 

This event will take place in the main coworking space, so please plan accordingly.