Westerly - State of Rhode Island: Division of Planning

The Westerly Comprehensive Planspaces and charges a fee. Visitors explore free or lower cost parking in for-pay lots along alreadycongested Atlantic Avenue. Parking is limited in Watch HillParking is limited at the transportation hub with the most potential: the Amtrak rail station. The railstation may be included in the future as a Transit-Oriented Development site which would includesignificant addition of parking space.7.3.1 Bus-Van-Taxi ServiceThe Rhode Island Public Transit Authority (RIPTA) provides public transportation service for theState of Rhode Island; within Westerly the service is limited and known as ‘FlexService’. This is afairly new public transportation service designed for suburban and rural areas. 56 The serviceprovides transportation to areas within the FlexZone between Westerly and Wakefield andNarragansett at four locations: Westerly Train Station, Westerly Wal-Mart, Stedman Center, and SaltPond Plaza. The service allows people to reserve their ride or to access the service from one of thecentral locations. The FlexZone is bordered by Spring Brook Road (north border), Route 78 (eastborder), Route 1 (west border) and Route 1A (south border). This covers the Westerly communitywith FlexService locations that have varied pick-up times covering a good portion of the day, fromearly morning to late afternoon/early evening.Fares for FlexService are as follows: Full fare = $1.50; Transfers = $0.10; Half Fare = $0.75, andHalf Fare Transfer = $0.05. 57 Low-income persons with a disability or those age 65 and above ridefree of charge with a “RIPTA No Fare ID Pass”. All other persons age 65 and above or with adisability, pay full fare during RIPTA peak hours of service (7am-9am and 3pm-6pm) on weekdaysand pay half fare all other times with RIPTA Senior/Disabled ID Pass or Medicare ID card. Thecontinuation of current RIPTA service levels is potentially threatened by the Rhode Island statebudget situation.Other forms of public transportation that are available include a Park-n-Ride service operated byRIPTA that provides transport between the Westerly Railroad Station and the east approach atKennedy Plaza in Providence. The total commute time is approximately 75 minutes; the bus leavesthe Station at 7:00 a.m. with a return time of approximately 6:30 p.m. Ridership is low, howeverconsistent: approximately 10 riders regularly use the service from Westerly and have for a period ofseveral years.In addition to the Park-n-Ride commuter service and the FlexService provided by RIPTA, cabservice and a demand-response/paratransit service is available. Cab service is provided by EagleCab Company, which has a dispatch office located at the Westerly State Airport. The service isprovided 24 hours a day, and reservations can also be made. South County Integrated Rural TransitService (SCIRTS) provides the paratransit service for shopping trips, medical trips to doctor offices,or to Providence for elderly individuals utilizing physical therapy groups, nutrition centers and/orday care centers. There is no charge for riders 60 years of age or older; and those who receive Stateassistance, but are under age 60, also do not have to pay a fare. A small donation of $1.50 is askedof those who use the service and are younger than age 60 or older and are receiving State assistance.SCIRTS provides handicap service as well and has three regular vans that carry 14 passengers andone lift van for handicap use56 RIPTA - www.ripta.com/about/57 204 FlexService Schedule, WesterlyWesterly, Rhode Island 111