Rhode Island’s public transportation system will see big service reductions in September after its board approved cuts on Thursday. The Rhode Island Public Transit Authority voted to accept a controversial plan put forward by Gov. Dan McKee and RIPTA CEO Christopher Durand that reduces bus service on 46 of its 58 routes and will require […]
Transportation
Posted inLocal, Metro Desk, Transportation
RIPTA considers reducing bus frequency on most routes to close budget gap
Rhode Island’s governor announced a new plan on Monday to resolve RIPTA’s budget shortfall. The proposal would reduce bus frequency on 46 routes, increase fares, and introduce more advertising across the public transit system. Gov. Dan McKee said these changes would help the system avoid eliminating bus routes in their entirety. McKee and leaders from […]
Posted inLocal, Transportation
RIPTA board postpones decision on service cuts
The Rhode Island Public Transit Authority is going back to the drawing board, after its Board of Directors postponed a vote on proposed service cuts. The RIPTA Board was scheduled to vote this morning on a proposal to eliminate 16 bus routes and reduce service to dozens of others as part of an effort to […]
Posted inLocal, Transportation
RIPTA efficiency study indicates service cuts are inevitable
There’s not much that can be done to prevent a series of proposed service cuts to RIPTA, according to the results of an operational efficiency study released today by the Rhode Island Public Transit Authority. The report, conducted by an independent consultant, shows that RIPTA’s operating costs are comparable to similar transit providers, while administrative […]
Posted inEconomy, Local, Transportation
RIPTA proposes largest cuts to bus service in its history
The Rhode Island Public Transit Authority proposed service reductions to nearly all of its bus routes on Thursday as it tries to balance a budget deficit. The proposed cuts, which are laid out in detail on RIPTA’s website, would affect 58 routes total, 17 of which would be eliminated entirely. In an interview after announcing […]
Posted inLocal, South Coast Bureau, Transportation
Extreme heat forces closure of New Bedford-Fairhaven bridge
The extreme heat wave this week has forced the New Bedford-Fairhaven bridge to close for a second day in a row, halting marine traffic into the nation’s highest-earning fishing port and forcing cars and trucks to avoid a main artery into the South Coast city. Starting on Tuesday as temperatures creeped above 100 degrees, the […]
Posted inEconomy, Local, Transportation
How safe are Rhode Island’s other bridges?
The Washington Bridge may have grabbed most of the headlines, but it is by no means the only piece of Rhode Island infrastructure in urgent need of repair. Rhode Island PBS and The Public’s Radio identified 119 bridges listed as “Poor” in the most recent available data from the National Bridge Inventory, a federal survey […]
Posted inLocal, Transportation
Transit advocates lament looming RIPTA service cuts
Transit advocates in Rhode Island are concerned about looming service cuts to the Rhode Island Public Transit Authority. After Gov. Dan McKee’s proposed budget left RIPTA with a roughly $32.6 million deficit for fiscal year 2026, state House lawmakers on Tuesday passed a budget that provided RIPTA with an extra $15 million, in part by […]
Posted inArts And Culture, Politics, The Weekly Catch, Transportation
What federal budget cuts would mean for RI, an uncertain future for RIPTA, and more
One in three Rhode Islanders depend on Medicaid. That’s why there’s grave concern if the Senate passes Trump’s budget plan, which includes massive cuts to the health insurance program. We’ll talk about what’s at stake with Rhode Island representative Gabe Amo. Also, RIPTA officials are facing a $33 million deficit. Lawmakers in the General Assembly need to pass a budget with the money to fill that gap, or cut bus lines and schedules throughout the state. And we speak with Westerly documentarian Hilary Steinman, who tackles the history of the Americans with Disabilities Act in her new film “Change, Not Charity.” Plus: A look back on the week in Rhode Island politics, and a few tips on what to do this week.
Posted inLocal, Transportation
Washington Bridge: Did Rhode Island miss critical warning signs ahead of the 2023 crisis?
When the westbound Washington Bridge was suddenly shut down in December 2023, never to re-open, many wondered if the crisis could have been prevented. An investigation by Rhode Island PBS and The Public’s Radio found that the Rhode Island Department of Transportation (RIDOT) may have failed to perform crucial inspections of the span that could […]
