PAWTUCKET DOWNTOWN DESIGN PLAN FINAL ... - VHB.com

TRANSIT SYSTEMS
CONCLUSION
Enhancing transit use supports the PDDP goals to improve public spaces
and streets in Downtown Pawtucket, better connect to its neighborhoods
and neighboring communities, and provide alternatives to automobile use to
uphold the quality of life in historic downtown Pawtucket. Using public transit
and bicycles reduces energy use, improves air quality, increases public health,
reduces the need for surface parking, and encourages social interaction. While
it seems like a simple choice, people change many behaviors when they ride
buses or bikes and it generally enhances local retail shopping, participation in
events, and connectivity to local issues.
There is currently no bicycle accommodation in the City of Pawtucket other than
bike parking at the public library and Blackstone Valley Visitor Center; bicyclists
must share the same lane as vehicular traffic. The first improvement currently in
development is temporary bicycle striping that will connect the terminus of the
Blackstone Valley Bikeway in Cumberland to Providence’s Blackstone Valley
Boulevard. The PDDP supports further projects to encourage bicycle use.
RIPTA’s investment in the #99 route Rapid Bus line, the first in its system,
will be an exciting addition to the downtown bus transit hub and is a great
opportunity for the city to better link with Providence. The current development
of a RIPTA linkage to the South Attleboro MBTA stop is an important regional
linkage for people in Pawtucket to link to Boston. Eventually, a future commuter
rail stop will arrive in Pawtucket replacing the need for this bus route.
Downtown Pawtucket has a tremendous opportunity to organize the area
around the new stop for transit-oriented development, however, the stop
must make sure to establish existing neighborhood priorities in this process.
Pawtucket will be the recipient of significant investment in infrastructure and
has the community ambition to leverage them into a set of local improvements.
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