Rhode Island’s congressional delegation announced $19.25 million in federal funding Monday for roadway, bicycle and pedestrian safety improvements across Aquidneck Island.
U.S. Sens. Sheldon Whitehouse and Jack Reed and U.S. Rep. Gabe Amo joined local leaders to announce the grant, which was funded through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law’s Safe Streets and Roads for All program and awarded to the island’s three municipalities.
“This grant will make getting around Aquidneck Island easier for pedestrians, cyclists, and drivers — especially during the congested summer months,” said Whitehouse, the top Democrat on the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee. “Our Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is still at work improving travel in the Ocean State.”
Reed, a senior member of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, called it a smart investment. “This federal funding will help Newport, Middletown, and Portsmouth make needed roadway and sidewalk improvements and help them reach their infrastructure and mobility goals,” he said.
Amo said the law continues to deliver for Rhode Island communities. “Whether walking, biking, or driving, Rhode Islanders deserve to be safe as they travel around our state,” he said. “I look forward to Aquidneck Island’s Safe Streets for All Grant ensuring safer roadways for all.”
The competitive grant will address sidewalk gaps and upgrade crossings along priority corridors. Planned treatments include pedestrian hybrid beacons, leading pedestrian intervals, high-visibility and raised crosswalks, pedestrian refuge islands, speed feedback signs and new sidewalks. The project is designed to reduce speeding, improve safety and accessibility and ultimately reduce traffic-related injuries.
In Newport, the city said the funds will help bridge a gap in its sidewalk and bicycling infrastructure on Narragansett Avenue between Spring Street and Bellevue Avenue.
Local planning officials welcomed the award. Patricia Reynolds, director of planning and development for the city of Newport, said the funding supports the city’s “Keep Newport Moving” transportation master plan and its recently adopted Vision Zero policy. “Being able to construct infrastructure to realize our vision for safe and convenient multimodal transportation is a step to an improved transportation system designed for all users,” she said.
Middletown Town Planner Ron Wolanski said the town is grateful for the award and excited to expand its sidewalk network, “improving safety for pedestrians and other roadway users.” Portsmouth Town Planner Lea Hitchen said the grant reflects a shared commitment to safety. “In Portsmouth, our roads connect neighborhoods, schools, businesses, and waterfront areas — but they should also be places where everyone feels safe, whether they are driving, walking, biking, or crossing the street,” she said. “This grant is not the finish line — it’s the beginning of continued work to create safer, more accessible, and more equitable streets for all.”
Bari Freeman, executive director of Bike Newport, called the grant an exciting regional achievement. “We look forward to the collaborative process and to the ultimate promise of safer streets for everyone,” she said.
