Transportation 2035 - State of Rhode Island: Division of Planning

December 2012FREIGHTThe Providence and Worcester Railroad (P&W) is a major regional freight carrier, connecting Rhode Island to CSX (Class I freight carrier) in Worcester, MA. TheSeaview Railroad operates switching service at the Quonset Business Park in North Kingstown and connects to the P&W. The Freight Rail Improvement Project(FRIP) involved construction of 17 miles of track parallel to the Amtrak Main Line toNortheast Intermodal Networkserve freight movements between Central Falls and the Quonset Business Park/ Davisville and to access points west of New England. The FRIP has beensuccessful in that tri-level automobile rail cars are now moving to and from thePort of Davisville, now possible through increased vertical clearances.Approximately five miles of track through Apponaug and East Greenwich arestill shared by freight and passenger operations along the two main lines. Thenew track is also used for MBTA commuter rail service.Common carrier trucking terminals are concentrated in the Providencemetropolitan area and provide service throughout the state and nation.Integrated express package delivery services including Federal Express andUnited Parcel Service (UPS) have major facilities in Warwick that are withinclose proximity to T.F. Green Airport and Interstate I-95.Marine transportation is the oldest form of transportation in the state andNewport was once one of the nation's major ports. The Port of Providencehandles liquid, dry, and breakbulk cargoes exceeding 2.7 million tons annuallyas of 2008. Dredging to 40 feet (at mean low water) has been completed along5,000 feet of berthing area. Dredging in the main shipping channel to 40 feet MLW has also been completed. New automobiles and frozen fish arrive at thePort of Davisville; automobiles are shipped throughout the region by rail and truck while the fish are flown worldwide.Future movement of freight relies on a functional highway system with reduced congestion. In 2001, RIDOT and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA)completed a Commercial Vehicle Parking Supply and Demand analysis for National Highway System (NHS) segments in Rhode Island. This study found, and thesituation still exists, that on a statewide level, there is a current shortage of commercial vehicle parking spaces (i.e. tractor-trailer parking) along NHS segmentsin Rhode Island, and that, absent action to increase supply, the shortfall would grow to between 298 and 809 spaces (depending upon future demand growthassumptions) by 2019. Interstate I-95 was found to be the most severely impacted NHS route, due to high truck volume and limitations on truck parking. There-opening of one rest area on northbound I-295 in Cumberland helped to alleviate the deficit to some degree. The re-opening of the southbound I-295 restarea in the same area is still being planned. Safe at-grade crossings should be maintained along the P&W lines. The Freight Rail Improvement Project (FRIP)Transportation 2035 (2012 Update)State Guide Plan Element 611Rhode Island Statewide Planning ProgramPage 2-12