The Rhode Island Public Transit Authority (RIPTA), due to safety concerns at the intersection of Washington and Exchange Streets, will relocate temporary Bus Stop O from Exchange Street to Steeple Street beginning Wednesday, July 16, 2014. Route 52 (Branch Ave./Bryant University), 60 (Providence/Newport) and 61X (Tiverton/East BayExpress) passengers will board Bus Stop O on Steeple Street between Exchange Street and Memorial Boulevard. The bus stop is located along Parcel 12 and across from the north side of the John O. Pastore Federal Building and Post Office.
In order to make transferring buses easier, any bus traveling on Exchange Terrace will stop at temporary Bus Stop K to disembark passengers (on request only). In addition, for our passengers’ convenience, any bus traveling on Sabin Street will also serve temporary Bus Stop A; passengers can board and disembark here.
RIPTA temporarily moved all bus stops out of Kennedy Plaza on Saturday, July 12, 2014 to accommodate City of Providence renovations of the Plaza. These renovations will create a large civic space, reorganize bus berth locations and improve pedestrian connections to and from the plaza. The work is expected to be complete Fall 2014. All routes are slightly detoured to avoid entering Kennedy Plaza. Bus stops have been relocated to Exchange Terrace, Sabin Street, Exchange Street, Fountain Street and Steeple Street. Park N’ Ride service has been relocated from Exchange Terrace to Sabin Street, but will continue to pick up passengers at other downtown locations. Peter Pan and Greyhound passengers will continue to load and unload at their current stop in front of the Kennedy Plaza Terminal.
Ticketing and other passenger amenities will remain open inside the Kennedy Plaza Terminal during the construction period. RIPTA’s Kennedy Plaza sales and information outlet will remain open during construction. Customers are advised to enter through the side door on the Fulton Street side, near City Hall.
RIPTA passengers can find information on temporary bus stop locations on signage in the Plaza, on RIPTA buses and on RIPTA’s website.
For more RIPTA information, please call 401-781-9400 or visit ripta.com.