Ongoing Transportation Projects

The Rhode Island Division of Statewide Planning (RIDSP) is working on a limited update of our state’s long-range transportation plan (LRTP). The LRTP is a Federally required plan that sets the vision for our state’s multi-modal transportation system - our roads, bridges, public transit, bike paths, sidewalks, ports, and more, over a minimum of 20 years. Moving Forward RI 2040 was approved in December of 2020 – this project will update that plan with new data and trends, with new sections based on new requirements and evolving needs, and with any changes to the goals, strategies, and projects.

We want you to help shape Moving Forward RI 2050. Please join us for any of the following public workshops:

July 9th 5PM – 7PM

Pawtucket Public Library, Campbell Auditorium

13 Summer Street, Pawtucket RI

July 16th 5:30PM – 7:30PM

West Warwick Public Library, Nash Room

1034 Main Street, West Warwick RI

July 22nd 12PM – 1PM

Virtual - Zoom

Register Here: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZAkcO6uqDMsE9BZ0coNaeI7H3QoqOQflcbI

July 22nd 5:30PM – 6:30PM

Virtual - Zoom

Register Here: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZ0kf-2prTotHNTYudHdigUJmonnT0FDGG0i

All locations are ADA accessible. Snacks provided. Translation services and additional ADA accommodations available, please e-mail Benny.Bergantino@doa.ri.gov.

You can also share your experiences and opinions by taking our 5-minute survey: [Coming Soon]. 

Project Manager: Liza Farr, Supervising Planner, RIDSP, liza.farr@doa.ri.gov, 401-222-6479

Rhode Island Division of Statewide Planning (RIDSP), in partnership with Rhode Island Department of Transportation (RIDOT) and Rhode Island Public Transit Agency (RIPTA), is developing a plan and guide for both State and municipal governments to build transportation projects that are “complete” – user friendly, safe, and accessible for all roadway users, thereby creating a healthier, greener, and more equitable roadway system. The plan will include Complete Streets policy recommendations, implementation guidance, and design guidelines.

You can provide your feedback on this Plan by attending public workshops for the long-range transportation plan, Moving Forward RI 2050, where one of the feedback stations will be focused on complete streets.

Project Manager: Liza Farr, Supervising Planner, RIDSP, liza.farr@doa.ri.gov, 401-222-6479

Difference between Complete Streets and Safe Streets for All

Complete Streets is focused on guiding the way our governments operate day-to-day, providing guidelines and recommended processes that will help ensure each road in our state becomes a complete street. Every time a road is re-paved or re-designed is a chance to make it a complete street. This Guide won’t identify specific streets or intersections for complete streets projects – instead it will help staff incorporate complete streets elements into every project that gets implemented. On the other hand, Safe Streets for All (SS4A) is intended to produce action plans that set up specific projects and policies that cities and states can undertake to make streets safer for all road users. RIPTA is working with municipalities across the state to develop these action plans, as well as a statewide action plan that will identify priority corridors for safety projects.

Complete Streets is a priority area for the federal government, but it doesn’t have a set funding stream like SS4A. Instead, all MPOs and States must spend at least 2.5% of their planning funds on complete streets projects each year, and do not have to provide match on those funds. SS4A is also focused largely on safety, whereas Complete Streets has multiple goals. Safety is still central to Complete Streets, but other goals include reducing climate emissions, integrating climate resiliency, promoting economic development through making attractive business districts and ensuring people can access jobs, and helping rectify inequities and public health impacts from our transportation system.  These two programs work together to ensure we have a transportation system and culture that supports the implementation of streets that work for all users. 

In 2022, RIPTA was awarded funding from the Safe Streets for All (SS4A) program to develop roadway Safety Action Plans on behalf of the state of Rhode Island, and with collaboration from 32 municipalities. The project will include a three-tiered analysis of road safety, including both past crash analysis and predictive analysis, and a wide-reaching community engagement process, with a statewide survey, interactive website, and on-the-ground outreach in each participating community. Ultimately the data analysis and public engagement will feed into the Safety Action Plans and inform recommendations for transportation system improvements in each community.

The project timeline runs from April 2024 – June 2025, with the majority of data analysis and public engagement occurring in the summer of 2024, and the municipal plans completed by early spring 2025. This planning process will set up the participating municipalities to be eligible for future implementation funding through the federal SS4A program.

Contact Information:

Julia Evelyn - Long Range Transportation Planner at RIPTA

Email jevelyn@ripta.com 

Website (or other links as available):

Public Outreach:  The online public survey will run from late June through the end of September. In-person pop-up engagement events will occur throughout the summer and early fall. Specific dates for each participating municipality are available on the project website, and will be updated throughout the summer as they are scheduled.

Transit Forward RI 2040, Rhode Island’s statewide Transit Master Plan, was adopted into the State Guide Plan in 2020. The Plan identified that much of metropolitan Providence has very high underlying demand for transit which rivals that found along existing light rail and bus rapid transit corridors in much larger cities across the US. Two corridors were identified that connect such areas of high demand and that run north-south across the Providence metropolitan region, extending from the Central Falls/Cumberland border through Pawtucket, downtown Providence, Cranston and Warwick.
 

The purpose of the Metro Connector Study is to consider options for providing fast, reliable, and frequent transit that connects major transportation hubs, regional activity centers, and residential neighborhoods in metropolitan Providence while achieving other State goals related to climate, sustainable housing growth, and economic development in an equitable manner.
 

The goal of this Study is to determine a locally preferred alternative (LPA) for High-Capacity Transit on the possible corridors. These LPAs would identify a preferred alignment, mode, stop locations, approximate ridership, and construction and operational costs. The LPAs should be implementable and developed to the point where they can move into project development.   
 

Contact  Information:
Zachary Agush - Principal Planner for Capital Development at RIPTA
Email zagush@ripta.com or call (401) 784-9500 x1205

Website (or other links as available): In development 

Public outreach:  Public engagement process is expected to begin in early September
 

RIDOT undertakes a rail passenger survey every two to three years in order to better understand demand for services and performance. Rail passengers can expect to be asked to take a short online survey about where they began their journey, where they are traveling to, how often they take the train, their experience, and a little about themselves.

Contact: – Lillian Picchione

Public Outreach: – Surveys and sampling will take place between April and October 2025.