November 26, 2018
How can public transportation best serve Rhode Island in the future? That is the question that will be addressed by the State’s first Transit Master Plan, which is a joint effort by the Rhode Island Public Transit Authority (RIPTA), the Rhode Island Department of Transportation (RIDOT) and the Division of Statewide Planning. The first opportunity to engage with the project will be next month, and all members of the public are encouraged to attend one of three open houses to share their thoughts.
Called “Transit Forward RI,” the Transit Master Plan project will create a vision for the future of transit in Rhode Island and will look at different types of transportation including bus, rail, ferry and more. The plan will identify both near and long-term investments to achieve a collective vision for transit in Rhode Island, as well as a strategy for implementation.
Open Houses will be held:
- Tuesday, December 11, 2018
11:00 AM to 12:30 PM – Formal presentation at 11:30 AM
Providence Chamber of Commerce
30 Exchange Terrace
Providence, RI
Located just one block north of Kennedy Plaza.
- Tuesday, December 11, 2018
5:30 PM to 7:00 PM – Formal presentation at 6:00 PM
Museum of Work & Culture
42 South Main Street
Woonsocket, RI
Use RIPTA Routes 54 or 87 (Flex 281 available until 6:30 PM)
- Wednesday, December 12, 2018
5:30 PM to 7:00 PM – Formal presentation at 6:00 PM
Gateway Transportation Center
23 America’s Cup Avenue
Newport RI
Use RIPTA Routes 60, 63, or 67
RIPTA CEO Scott Avedisian encourages the public to attend the open houses and participate in the Transit Master Plan process. “A strong transit system is critical to the quality of life in Rhode Island,” Avedisian said. “Public transit gets people where they need to go and helps them travel smarter, benefiting our environment by reducing reliance on single-occupancy vehicles. Transit is also essential in supporting continued economic growth throughout the state.”
RIDOT Director Peter Alviti also expressed his support for the effort. “Thanks to the Governor’s RhodeWorks program, we’re making great strides in repairing our roads and bridges,” Alviti said. “We’re also making strong, smart investments in improving our transit system to create a sustainable multi-modal network.”
Project staff will be available at the open houses. They will share work done to date in evaluating the market for transit in Rhode Island and how well Rhode Island’s current transit network performs today. Public input will be solicited on project goals, gaps in today’s network, and opportunities for enhancement. This input will be used to develop potential strategies to build a stronger system, and these ideas will be shared at additional public workshops next year.
RIPTA staff will also be in the Kennedy Plaza passenger terminal building on Wednesday, December 12th from noon to 1:30PM to help introduce the public to the project.
For more information on the RI Transit Master Plan, please visit www.transitforwardri.com.