Transportation 2035 - State of Rhode Island: Division of Planning

December 2012LAND USE AND CORRIDORSOur state is the second most densely populated in the country. Existing urban places and locations that are suitable for development need improvedtransportation services, but open space and pristine rural areas should not be sacrificed. To preserve the beauty of Rhode Island for future generations, statetransportation planning and design must work hand-in-hand with cities and towns to manage land development and establishstandards for roads, sidewalks, shared-use paths and transit facilities that are responsive to safety, travel demand, capacity,environmental, and aesthetic concerns. Land Use 2025 will play a key role in shaping the State’s development, primarily by theestablishment of an Urban Services Area. This area has the water and sewer infrastructure to support increased density, which inturn can sustain public transportation.Land use decisions also need to support transportation system objectives. The nature and character of development allowed bycommunities must be related to the level of transportation infrastructure available and planned. An orientation to transit, bicycle,and pedestrian needs in the siting and design of new development can support transportation goals, reduce vehicle trips, maketransit service more viable, and improve safety. The state’s transportation planning process should continue to build on anintermediate framework for analysis of travel corridor needs to integrate the statewide policies expressed in this plan with regionalconsiderations and local plans, and to provide a process for individual transportation projects to be planned and coordinatedwithin a context of regional needs and statewide policies.The statetransportationsystem shouldsupport desired landuse patterns- theconcentration ofgrowth in existingurban centers, andin locations suitableand planned formore intensivedevelopment.PEDESTRIANPedestrian (and bicycle) travel can be made safer and more appealing when these modes of transportation are consistently mainstreamed into project andcommunity planning and design. Greater consideration to opportunities for encouraging pedestrian travel in all aspects of community planning and projectdesign will improve safety, support transit, encourage more healthful lifestyles, invigorate downtown areas, and enhance community livability. Communitiesshould embrace the principles of walkable communities and use tools available (such as traffic calming, restoring 2-way traffic flow on one-way streets,reducing curb radii, maintaining crosswalks and signals, etc.) to encourage pedestrian activity. The Safe Routes to School Program established by SAFETEA-LUstrives to create a better and safer walking environment for school children, consistent with goals of reducing congestion, improving air quality, andencouraging healthy lifestyles.PLANNINGFederal funding agencies require metropolitan planning organizations to maintain a “comprehensive, cooperative, and continuing” planning process. Thisentails cooperation with all levels of government, the public, and other stakeholders. Additionally, in Rhode Island, all cities and towns are required to adoptTransportation 2035 (2012 Update)State Guide Plan Element 611Rhode Island Statewide Planning ProgramPage 5-6