Governor Gina Raimondo said the RhodeWorks law passed amid controversy last year is yielding positive dividends for the state.
Raimondo said RhodeWorks has sparked the creation of 800 jobs; introduced a predictable process for state transportation projects; set more than 100 deficient bridges on the path to improvement; and enabled the state to save millions of dollars through preventive maintenance on 500 other bridges.
“In the process of doing it, the way we’re doing it, we’re actually saving about $900 million over 10 years, by the fact that we’re fixing problems before they get bigger,” the governor said Wednesday during a Greater Providence Chamber of Commerce event marking the one-year anniversary of RhodeWorks. She credited the General Assembly with passing the legislation for RhodeWorks.
Raimondo acknowledged the state would have to seek other revenue if the trucking industry successfully challenges planned tolls on large trucks.
RhodeWorks is expected to spend $4.7 billion on transportation improvements over the next 10 years, including a reconstruction of the 6-10 interchange. Prior to the passing of the law, Rhode Island’s bridges were considered among the worst in the nation.
“We would have obviously have to find a plan B, but I don’t think that’s going to happen,” she said. “We did a lot of legal analysis prior to going forward with this. There are also other states that have truck-only tolls and bridge-only tolls, so we’re not the first ones to try this.”
Critics have argued that imposing tolls on big trucks will hurt Rhode Island’s economy. Supporters have pointed in part to the damage caused by trucks to roadways in calling the tolls justified.
State Transportation Director Peter Alviti said construction on the first set of toll gantrys is expected to start later this year. He said truck tolls will produce only about 10 percent of the revenue for RhodeWorks.
