Transportation 2035 - State of Rhode Island: Division of Planning

December 2012FERRYSeveral year round and seasonal ferry services are operated in Rhode Island:Year round:• Point Judith and Block Island (Interstate Navigation)• Prudence Island and Bristol (Prudence Ferry)Seasonal service:• Point Judith and Block Island (Fast Ferry)• Newport to Block Island (Interstate Navigation)• New London, Connecticut and Block Island (Nelseco Navigation)• Montauk, New York and Block Island (Viking Ferry Lines)• Quonset and Martha’s Vineyard (Vineyard Fast Ferry)• Jamestown and several points along Newport’s waterfront and islands (Jamestown and Newport Ferry Company)These services should continue as they either divert traffic away from roads or provide the sole means of transportation. Future ferry services may includesome type of cross-bay ferry service, perhaps from the Warwick area to the Bristol area (roughly halfway between the I-195 bridge in Providence and theNewport and Jamestown Bridges).BICYCLERhode Island has become a leader in providing bicycle paths, lanes, and routes for both recreation and alternative travel mode options. In 2012, there are justover 63 miles of paved bicycle paths in Rhode Island and more than 25 miles of paths under design. Such examples include the East Bay Bike Path, BlackstoneRiver Bikeway, Ten Mile River Greenway, South County Bike Path, and the Washington Secondary Bike Path which are immensely popular with residents andvisitors alike. Several others bicycle paths are in planning, design, and construction phase. Additionally there are more than 70 miles of signed on-road routes.Some of Rhode Island’s longer bicycle paths – the Blackstone River Bikeway, the Washington Secondary, and the East Bay Bike Path – are part of an ambitiouseffort from the Rhode Island based East Coast Greenway Alliance to create a contiguous bike path from Maine to Florida. Among the 15 states the East CoastGreenway would pass through, Rhode Island is a leader in constructing its segments of the bikeway.Transportation 2035 (2012 Update)State Guide Plan Element 611Rhode Island Statewide Planning ProgramPage 2-10