December 15, 2014
The Rhode Island Public Transit Authority (RIPTA) will implement winter service changes effective Saturday, January 17, 2015. RIPTA makes regular service adjustments three times a year in response to seasonal changes and/or passenger use.
Kennedy Plaza Reopening
RIPTA will permanently relocate bus stops into Kennedy Plaza beginning Saturday, January 17, 2015 now that City of Providence renovations of the Plaza are complete. These renovations created a large civic space, improved bus stop locations and better pedestrian connections to and from the plaza. RIPTA passengers can find information regarding the new bus stop locations, on signage in the Plaza, on RIPTA buses and on RIPTA’s website. Please see the attached map for new bus stop locations. Informational Outreach teams will be distributing information in the Plaza to inform passengers about the changes.
2015 Winter Service Changes
These annual changes are major and include trip time changes, route enhancements, as well as rescheduling for better on-time performance. Most routes servicing Kennedy Plaza have been rescheduled and many routes have been re-grouped at new stops. For many routes, only a slight trip time change occurred. Some other service changes include trip reductions due to low or no ridership and frequency increases in response to heavy ridership.
Weekday service frequency will increase to every seventeen minutes on Routes 1 (Eddy/Hope/Benefit) and 56 (Chalkstone Ave). Saturday service frequency has increased on Routes 66 (URI/Galilee) and 71 (Broad St.). Due to passenger demand, RIPTA will launch new Route 62 (Oxbow/Towne Center) to provide service from Oxbow Apartments to Newport Towne Center.
New Downcity Loop for Express Commuter Service
RIPTA service will be restructured to service Downtown Providence including the RI Convention Center, Empire and Westminster Streets, Weybosset Street, Turk’s Head Plaza, and Bus Stop X on Exchange Terrace. This new “Downcity Loop” will allow passengers to board and alight buses at the same location in the morning and afternoon. As part of implementing the Downcity Loop, there will be slight trip time changes.
The following routes will be affected:
8X Jefferson Blvd.
9X Pascoag
10X North Scituate
12X Arctic/Rte #117
59X Lincoln/N Smithfield
61X Tiverton/East Bay
65X Wakefield
95X Westerly
Passengers are strongly encouraged to check new schedules for how service changes may affect them. They may also pick up the leaflet entitled Winter Service Changes that is available at Kennedy Plaza; the leaflet is also viewable online. Please remember to check the new Kennedy Plaza Bus Stop Map for current bus stop locations; the map is available online and at the Kennedy Plaza Information Window.
The following routes will be affected by the winter service changes:
R-Line Broad/North Main
1 Eddy/Hope/Benefit
6 Prairie/R.W. Zoo
8X Jefferson Blvd.
9X Pascoag
10X North Scituate
12X Arctic/Rte #117
17 Dyer/Pocasset
18 Union Ave.
19 Plainfield/Westminster
20 Elmwood/Airport
21 Reservoir/Garden City/CCRI
30 Arlington/Oaklawn
35 Rumford/Newport Ave.
50 Douglas Ave.
52 Branch Ave.
56 Chalkstone Ave.
57 Smith Street
59X Lincoln/North Smithfield Express
60 Newport/Providence
61X Tiverton/East Bay
62 Oxbow/Towne Center
65X Wakefield
66 URI/Galilee
71 Broad Street
72 Weeden/Central Falls
73 Mineral Spring/Twin River/CCRI
75 Dexter/Lincoln Mall
76 Central Avenue
80 Armistice Blvd.
95X Westerly
98 Pawtucket Ave.