Freight and Goods Movement Plan, 2026

The Rhode Island Statewide Freight & Goods Movement Plan is the culmination of extensive staff work, public outreach with key stakeholders, including members of the Rhode Island Freight Advisory Committee, and the collection and technical analysis of freight movement data throughout the state. The Statewide Freight & Goods Movement Plan, 2026 identifies measures to better coordinate and effectively utilize all the state’s transportation resources to support the efficient movement of goods. The plan also outlines immediate and long-range strategies for multi-modal freight transportation investments through the year 2050.

Key findings of the 2026 Statewide Freight & Goods Movement Plan are as follows:

Rhode Island has restructured statewide freight goals, placing stronger emphasis on freight safety and security to align more closely with other statewide plans and federal transportation goals.
Trucking composes a significant majority of freight movement, carrying approximately 88% of all freight value moving through Rhode Island. Total truck freight volume is projected to reach 76.2 million tons valued at $110.5 billion by 2050.
Rhode Island faces a considerable shortage of overnight commercial vehicle parking, with 61% of surveyed industry participants rating parking availability in the region as poor or very poor. RIDSP is exploring this issue in greater detail in the 2027 Truck Parking Assessment, building upon previous work from 2023.
Major infrastructure developments at the Port of Davisville, including the completion of the Terminal 5 Pier and the modernization of Pier 2, are expanding capacity to support key import supply chains, such as the processing of over 304,000 imported vehicles in 2024

.A list of priority freight infrastructure projects was developed to guide the investment in projects that would improve the efficiency of the intermodal freight network and enhance operations. A number of these projects have been identified for funding in the FFY 2026-2035 State Transportation Improvement Program (STIP) or are in the design process. Unfunded projects are continually reassessed as part of Rhode Island’s freight and STIP planning process.

A Freight Working Group comprised of municipal representatives, local universities, state government officials, port officials, environmental advocacy groups, freight advocacy groups, logistics experts, and industry representatives assisted the Division of Statewide Planning in the development of the 2022 Freight Plan update. Public meetings of the Freight Advisory Committee were held throughout the plan update process. Perspectives from both public and private stakeholders informed the Plan on challenges related to both the supply and demand for freight movements in Rhode Island. Completion of the Freight Plan provides Rhode Island with opportunities to access additional federal transportation funds for freight-related projects, such as improvements to its highways, rail system, and ports.

2026 Rhode Island Freight and Goods Movement Plan