By Grow Smart staff
At its Tuesday, January 30th Special Meeting, the RIPTA Board approved the awarding of a Preliminary Services Agreement for the P3 joint development of a new transit hub in Providence.
Grow Smart RI Statement
Grow Smart RI has been a leading champion for development of a modern, full service, indoor transit hub in Downtown Providence. We believe that such a facility is important to growing transit ridership and that patrons deserve the dignity of climate-controlled shelter with basic amenities similar to those available at rail stations and airports.
However, we cannot support ANY action to advance development of a new transit hub at this time for several reasons. These include the chronic underfunding of transit service that’s been well-documented for over 20 years, the severe service cuts that are now projected, and the continued lack of urgency to address the funding and driver shortage crisis as well as implementation of the State’s adopted Transit Master Plan, we had little choice but to stand by riders.
It’s clear that riders place a much higher value on the importance of increased service frequency and hours of operation than on a new transit hub facility. The interest of riders should come first for State leaders.
There is no evidence that the RIPTA Board requested sufficient funding to maintain and grow service levels. In March 2023, there was insufficient support on the Board to approve a DRAFT RESOLUTION requesting the attention of the Governor and General Assembly Leadership to fully fund RIPTA.
And the Governor’s Budget Proposal continues to leave an $8 million deficit just to maintain existing service levels and no funds to begin the already delayed implementation of the Transit Master Plan.
For all these reasons, Grow Smart cannot support proceeding with a new transit hub project while the Board and state leaders ignore the calamity and disruption that will be experienced by thousands of residents and employers affected by pending service cuts.