Personal transportation option would transform R.I.

A convenient and reliable mass-transit system is needed in Rhode Island to encourage statewide economic development and reduce carbon emissions. However, it is obvious that Rhode Islanders prefer privacy when they commute to work. New, expensive light rail or streetcar systems will not be used by Rhode Island’s commuters.
To overcome this problem and lower this new transit system’s construction cost, the state of Rhode Island and the federal government should take another look at Raytheon’s elevated PRT 2000 mass- transit system.
The vehicles in this automated, computerized, personal rapid transportation system accommodated only four people. The small size and low weight of these vehicles meant that all the parts of the required infrastructure to build this elevated PRT system would be less massive, less costly and require less construction time.
In crowded city areas, the PRT guide rails could be attached to the sides of buildings. This system also could be built parallel to existing bike paths, to existing railroad rights of way and to existing unused railroad rights of way. A statewide system would be feasible in Rhode Island that has the privacy of a car, and the safety and convenience of a mass-transit system.
Because of Rhode Island’s small size, a PRT rapid-transit system similar to Raytheon’s could be built connecting every major population center in Rhode Island.
The main lines of this system would start in Burrillville and follow the Providence & Worcester Railroad right of way and the Blackstone River Bikeway to Mill Street in Valley Falls. From there it would bear left and follow the P&W right of way that parallels the George R. Bennett Highway in Pawtucket and ends at the Washington Bridge in East Providence.
This line would split at this point. One branch would follow the East Bay Bike Path to Bristol and then follow the Old Colony and Newport Scenic Railway right of way to Newport. The other branch would cross the Seekonk River using the footings of the old railroad bridge and pass through the unused railroad tunnel under the East Side of Providence. At this point, this line would connect to the Amtrak right of way at Providence Place mall and continue on to Cranston.
On entering Cranston, this line would split. One branch would follow the Washington Secondary Bike Path and bring service to Warwick, West Warwick, Coventry and nearby towns. The other branch would continue on the Amtrak right of way to the village of West Kingston. Here the line would split again. One branch would follow the William C. O’Neill Bike Path to Narragansett and Rhode Island’s coastal beaches. The other branch would continue on to Westerly. To service Smithfield, Johnston and North Providence, a line from Smithfield to Olneyville in Providence following the Providence and Springfield Railroad right of way and the Fred Lippitt Woonasquatucket River Greenway would be built. This line would connect with the Amtrak right of way in Olneyville.
Because the PRT vehicles are only 4 feet in width, both incoming and outgoing lines could be built simultaneously next to each other using the same support infrastructure and concrete footings. Only 60 square feet of space would be needed every 40 feet. Construction would proceed rapidly and construction costs would be greatly reduced.
Many PRT boarding stations would be located at or near local post offices, hospitals, airports, government buildings, shopping malls, housing for the elderly, public-school-building complexes, business parks, homeless shelters, convention centers, sports arenas, colleges and universities.
Funding for the circulator lines connecting these boarding stations to the main PRT lines would be provided by each city or town, federal grants and contributions provided by the private and government entities serviced by these boarding stations.
Vehicles designed to hold one person, two persons, four persons, the handicapped, the sick and injured, and freight up to 500 pounds would be available. Money raised by transporting tourists, freight, the sick and injured, and mail would lower the operating costs of this personal rapid-transit system.
If the R.I. Department of Transportation elected to build this PRT transit system, I feel that Raytheon could be persuaded to design and manufacture the required vehicles, guideways and other required infrastructure at a facility that they would build at Quonset Point.
The state and federal income taxes and sales taxes generated by Raytheon and its workforce would provide a significant portion of the state and federal funding to build the main lines of the first public PRT mass-transit system in the United States. •


Kenneth Berwick is a retired school teacher in the Lincoln School system.

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1 COMMENT

  1. Because Rhode Island controls most of the rights of way to build this PTR system, the cost per mile would be less than 5 million dollars (Estimated by Ultraglobal PRT). After federal and private subsidies, Rhode Island’s cost would be less than $500,000.00 per mile. This is a small price to pay to improve Rhode Island’s economy and to reduce local carbon emissions. Rhode Island would build much of this PRT system along bikepath rights of way. To further reduce carbon emissions, the supporting post to hold up the PRT’s elevated guideways should be placed on each side of these bikepaths. These supporting posts could then be used to support a clear, rigid plastic, roofing system over each bikepath. This would allow each bikepath to be used during rainy weather and during periods of light snow. In addition, because PTR guideways would be electrified, a lighting system and security cameras could be installed over each bikepath. Bikepath usage would greatly increase because of these security features.

    Ken Berwick