Forum to improve transit in R.I. slated for Tuesday

PROVIDENCE – A mass transit forum, “Next Stop: Making Mass Transit Work for Rhode Island,” is planned for Dec. 1 at the Rhode Island Convention Center featuring Gov. Gina M. Raimondo, House Speaker Nicholas A. Mattiello and Senate President M. Teresa Paiva Weed.
In addition to local officials, guest presenters from Denver, Minneapolis and Hartford, Conn., will be featured. They will discuss how they are improving their own mass transit and how similar strategies could work in the Ocean State, according to a news release about the event.
The forum, which will be held from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m., is being sponsored by Rhode Island Coalition for Transportation Choices, a 45-member group of public transit advocacy organizations.
Peter Garino, deputy director, R.I. Department of Transportation, and Amy Pettine, executive director, planning, Rhode Island Public Transit Authority, will participate in a panel discussion with other local transit experts and state agency representatives about what the state can do to improve transit.
For information, visit http://www.rictc.net/2015/10/26/next-stop-making-transit-work-for-ri/.

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2 COMMENTS

  1. I think this is an important conference because while transit can do a lot to help our state’s economy, environment, mobility, and land use, with our low commute-by-transit rate it is far from living up to the its potential. While some new infrastructure may be helpful, I suspect it is more a matter of operational improvements including more frequent service, signal priority to speed up bus trips, snow removal from stops, better fare and schedule coordination with the MBTA commuter rail, enhanced security in Kennedy Plaza, a more level playing field from employers that offer “free” parking, and marketing for commuters to help get away from the feeling that transit is just for the poor and elderly. This conference can be a step toward addressing such issues.

  2. Unfortunately there will be no representation from Massachusetts’s MBTA, GATRA or SETA. Rhode Ilsand need’s to realize while we need to improve transportation within the state it also needs involvement from Massachusetts to improve transportation in the Providence Metro area which includes much of SE Massachusetts. This in turn will help our economy and the regions economy. I-95, I-195 and now I-295 are the true indicators of the growth of employment and because of our size, or lack of it, a worker from Attleboro could be going to Quonset and one from East Providence could be going to Fall River and yet there is no alternative travel choice other than a car. There are other metro areas in the country that work much better than us; Cincinnati Transit, New York City Transit, Kansas City and St. Louis Transit. Thay all facilitate travel in more than one state. How? We can’t do it here unless you are going to Boston.