Notch-blocker fines to increase tenfold

Vermont will increase fines for oversized vehicles illegally traveling through Smugglers Notch under a new law, raising penalties from $1,000 to $10,000 and up to $20,000 if traffic is substantially blocked. The law, part of S.326 passed on May 26, aims to reduce incidents of trucks getting stuck in the narrow mountain pass, which previously averaged 8.6 annually but dropped to five in 2021 after safety measures like chicanes were installed.