Transportation 2035 - State of Rhode Island: Division of Planning

December 2012INTERMODALThe table to the right accounts for Rhode Island’s terminals that provide intermodal and/or intramodal connections for passengers and freight as of September2012. Some of the intermodal passenger hubs are full service centers that have been created or improved in recent years. Others on the list provide minimalfacilities at present and require upgrading. Redevelopment pressures maythreaten the viability of the Port of Providence. The State’s future marinefreight terminal needs must be considered before any land use changes areallowed to occur. New intermodal passenger stations, particularly new railstations, will be required to meet travel demand in the future.AVIATIONThere are six state-owned airports in Rhode Island operated by the RhodeIsland Airport Corporation (RIAC). T.F. Green Airport in Warwick is the primarycommercial service airport (served by seven airlines). T.F. Green hasexperienced a fluctuation in passenger activity over the last 10 years. Afterreaching a new high of nearly 6 million annual passengers in 2005, RIAC hasseen a slight decline as a result of the economic recession and aircraft seatingreductions related to higher fuel costs and several airline mergers.Since 1996, the passenger terminal has undergone a major transformation andseveral renovations related to security, terminal capacity, and separation ofarriving and departing passengers. The Warwick Interlink facility wascompleted in 2010 and combines a passenger commuter train station andrental car facility with an elevated walkway linked to the T. F. Green Airportterminal. It is the first station design of its type and is made possible by aninnovative financing plan that relies on rental car fees. The Interlink combinestrain, bus, auto, plane, and interstate highway connections that all serve as animportant regional transportation hub and reduce congestion around theairport. Looking forward, T.F. Green will undergo an extensive 5-year capitalprogram that will improve Runway Safety Areas and extend the primaryRhode Island’s Intermodal Terminals, Passenger & Freight, 2012Location and Terminal Passenger FreightNorthern Rhode IslandBlackstone Valley Visitors’ Center -- PawtucketMetro Rhode IslandAmtrak Station – Providence (1)Kennedy Plaza (major RIPTA hub) -- ProvidenceProvidence HarborWaterson Terminal Services (formerly ProvPort) (1)Allens Avenue AreaEast ProvidenceT.F. Green Airport – Warwick (1)Interlink Station - WarwickEast Bay Rhode IslandRIPTA hub (Ames Plaza), East ProvidenceNewport Gateway Visitors’ Center and Perrotti ParkNewport HarborSouthern Rhode IslandQuonset Davisville - North Kingstown (1)Wickford Junction Station – North KingstownKingston Station - South Kingstown (1)RIPTA hub (Wakefield Mall) - South KingstownWesterly Station - WesterlyPort of Galilee – Narragansett (1)Old Harbor -- Block Island(1) National Highway System Intermodal ConnectorTransportation 2035 (2012 Update)State Guide Plan Element 611Rhode Island Statewide Planning ProgramPage 2-14