Long Range Transportation Plan - Moving Forward RI 2050

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Moving Forward RI 2050

The Rhode Island Division of Statewide Planning (RIDSP) is working on a limited update of the State’s Long Range Transportation Plan (LRTP) which will set the vision for our multi-modal transportation system over the next 25 years.  Every five years, RIDSP is required to update the LRTP, which involves updating data and trends, adding new sections based on any new requirements or needs, and using stakeholder and public engagement to see if the original plan still reflects the needs, vision, and goals of Rhode Islanders. The action strategies and pool of projects will also be updated. This LRTP also gives RIDSP a chance to come together across many different agencies and with the public to understand what transportation conditions are like today, and to think comprehensively about what our transportation system should look like in the future.

On December 10, 2020, the State Planning Council adopted State Guide Plan Element 611, Moving Forward Rhode Island 2040,the State of Rhode Island’s Long Range Transportation Plan (LRTP).  Under the umbrella of Moving Forward Rhode Island 2040, the State Planning Council also adopted the Transit Master Plan, Bicycle Mobility Plan, and Congestion Management Process. 

Long-Range Transportation Plan (LRTP)

The purpose of the Long-Range Transportation Plan is to develop a vision for transportation in the state over a 20-year planning horizon. This vision is comprehensive, covering all transportation modes (e.g. automobiles, public transit trains and buses, ferries) and sectors (e.g. commuter travel, freight).  The LRTP fulfills federal requirements for statewide and metropolitan planning under current transportation legislation and provides a framework for advancing projects in the State Transportation Improvement Program (STIP). It has been established in coordination with other statewide transportation plans. As a State Guide Plan element, the LRTP is also a basis for determining consistency of local comprehensive plans and other plans, programs, and projects with state policies. The LRTP includes goals, objectives, policies, and strategies for transportation modes throughout the state and includes an analysis of anticipated federal and state transportation funding resources.

Congestion Management Process / Plan (CMP)

A Congestion Management Process/Plan is a systematic process for identifying congestion and its causes, developing monitoring processes to measure transportation system performance and reliability, and developing congestion management strategies and moving them into the funding and implementation stages. Rhode Island’s CMP was approved in 2020 and undergoes yearly review in the form of an annual report. The complete CMP, executive summary, annual reports, and CMP ArcGIS StoryMap can be found on the Congestion Management page.

Bicycle Mobility Plan (BMP)

The Rhode Island Bicycle Mobility Plan (BMP) is the first statewide initiative to expand the bicycle network strategically. The BMP takes a more detailed look at specific conditions, needs, and gaps surrounding bicycle infrastructure and operations in the State of Rhode Island and identifies supporting policies, strategies, and projects that will expand the network over the 20-year vision set out by the Long Range Transportation Plan. The plan also seeks to safely and efficiently connect people and places so that riding a bicycle in Rhode Island is safe and fun for all ages.

Transit Master Plan (TMP)

The Transit Master Plan performs a comprehensive analysis on the condition, needs, and future solutions to the transit network and also works within the same 20-year horizon as the LRTP and BMP. These improvements are designed to enhance mobility, help reduce greenhouse gas emissions, encourage active transportation, support economic development and make Rhode Island a better place to live, work, and play. To learn more about the TMP and to get involved visit its website Transit Forward RI 2040.