Transportation 2035 - State of Rhode Island: Division of Planning

December 2012comprehensive plans consistent with the State Guide Plan. This enhances the planning relationships with communities and broadens transportation planningto include other topics such as economic development, land use, and the environment. Rhode Island's vision for transportation is built on a solid base of publicinvolvement; and it can continue to evolve by welcoming the participation of all users, public sector officials, the business community, and interest groups,with special attention to engaging disadvantaged populations.SAFETYAs one of FHWA’s “vital few” focus areas, safety has a prominent presence in this plan with respect to all modes of transportation. As crash reporting datasystems improve, analysis of locations and causes of crashes should become more precise. However, with the increasing number of elderly drivers andincreasing vehicle miles traveled (VMT), reducing fatalities and injuries on the roadways will be a daunting task. This task can be accomplished through betterroadway and vehicle design, increased awareness and behavior changes, as well as more stringent laws and stepped up enforcement. RIDOT recentlycompleted the 2012 Rhode Island Strategic Highway Safety Plan which provides short and medium term strategies in five areas where fatalities will leadtoward zero deaths.TRANSITRIPTA represents a significant public investment that serves the public interest in many ways. It carries employees to their workplaces. It strengthens urbancommunities by serving people who do not drive -- students, low-income families, elderly and disabled persons, and also helps some individuals to liveindependently. It reduces congestion and pollution and conserves energy. An effective and convenient transit system can bean alternative to single-occupant auto travel, and RIPTA should continue to attract riders who would otherwise drive alone.Marketing and outreach are key to the success of the various transit services that are offered. RIPTA also needs to continueto redesign its routes and offer a new array of bus, van, and other services to meet the changing markets for transit. But thesystem needs a sustainable source of operating funds, regular maintenance, and replacement of equipment and facilities.RIPTA’s funding needs are as acute as RIDOT’s, and they are now facing a loss of revenue streams. In spite of these financialdifficulties, they have been extremely successful in attracting riders, and in fact ridership is at an all-time high, and some busroutes are over-crowded. At the time this Plan was written, RIPTA was embarking on a Metropolitan Transit Study that willcontinue the work of the Transit 2020 Group and the Special Legislative Commission. This Study occurs at a time when thereis energy in the community around the future of transit and it certainly bears watching.The state transportationsystem should add newservices to reflect newtravel demands and shiftsin usage, and to offerattractive intermodal travelalternatives to reduceprivate (single occupancy)automobile use.Transportation 2035 (2012 Update)State Guide Plan Element 611Rhode Island Statewide Planning ProgramPage 5-7