Transportation 2035 - State of Rhode Island: Division of Planning

PLANNINGSTRATEGIES PL.3.aPL.3.bPL.3.cPL.3.dPL.3.ePL.3.fPL.3.gPL.3.hPL.3.iPL.3.jPL.3.kWork through Rhode Island’s congressional delegation and professional associations (APA, NARC, AMPO, AASHTO) to participate innational policy deliberations regarding transportation.Continue addressing regional transportation issues, including high-speed rail, bus/rail/air connections, intercity bus, interstatetransit/paratransit connections, and commuter rail service to Boston as well as to Connecticut locations. Support a “North-South RailLink” in Boston to improve regional passenger rail connections. Work directly with other states to coordinate regional changes infreight/passenger rail service. Support bridge clearance projects in other states that open up new markets for freight rail.Integrate Rhode Island’s transportation planning into the interstate regional transportation systems of New England and thenortheastern United States, especially through the I-95 Corridor Coalition and other regional associations.Provide adequate staffing and training in the transportation section of the Statewide Planning Program to conduct the federallymandated planning process.Maintain planning tools, such as RI Geographic Information Systems, and the travel demand model with latest software applicationsand data. Share data among RIPTA, RIDOT, the Statewide Planning Program, and others.Continue staff support to the State Planning Council, the Technical Committee, the Transportation Advisory Committee, and theGrowth Planning Council. Participate on other committees (such as ITS, Accessible Transportation, T2, etc.) as necessary and asresources allow.Compress the time between planning and implementation of transportation projects, so they are completed when needed and performproactive, not just reactive, functions. Institute procedures to streamline the review process as projects go forward to design andconstruction.Coordinate transportation planning with other Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPO’s) and regional planning entities such as theAquidneck Island Planning Commission, Blackstone Valley Corridor Commission, and Washington County Planning Commission.Enhance corridor planning efforts with scenario development and alternatives analysis using RI Geographic Information System(RIGIS) and the state travel model.Work with municipalities to insure that local comprehensive plans incorporate, and become consistent with, the recommendations ofthe Corridor plan(s) for which they are a component. Corridor planning will enable transportation planning to go beyond the municipalboundaries.Provide assistance to regional planning agencies, communities, and non-profits in the form of pass-through funding to enable theirparticipation in cooperative planning efforts and corridor planning studies.Transportation 2035 (2012 Update)State Guide Plan Element 611RI Statewide Planning ProgramPage 5-39December 2012BICYCLEDESIGNECONOMICDEVELOPMENTEMERGENCYRESPONSEENVIRONMENTEQUITYFINANCEHIGHWAYINTERMODALLAND USE ANDCORRIDORSPEDESTRIANPLANNINGSAFETYTRANSIT