Journal archives

IF THE HEAD of the Rhode Island Department of Transportation announced that he was closing down south-bound Route 95 from the merging of Route 146 to the Atwells Avenue exit because of budget constraints, would you believe him? What if he then said that he would only allow traffic on Route 6 between 7 and 9 a.m. and then 5 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. to reduce wear on the road to save money for repairs?

Do you think that we would find this acceptable, or even plausible? Life could not continue in Rhode Island without those roadways. There would be no economic development, no home purchases and no new jobs. The state would collapse.

How is it, then, that we have heard about the Rhode Island Public Transportation Authority’s planned service cuts and state leaders are still not committing to ensuring that bus service will continue without interruption? Better yet, why do we not hear from our state leaders that we need to grow our public-transit system to reduce the outflow of dollars from the state?

The link between prosperity and transportation choices has been proven time and time again. The public investment in transit infrastructure through the construction of a transit stop or transit line brings private investment.

Heck, the historic growth of Providence is proof of that. Look at the mansions along Broadway into Olneyville Square, or the beautiful homes on College Hill. Both of these areas were served by the streetcars that helped to shape the city. When the city had a broad investment in transit options, ridership followed.

In 1923 the annual streetcar ridership in Rhode Island climbed to an all-time high of 154 million passengers when the state had a population of only 600,000. Even with growing ridership, RIPTA has only 25 million riders a year.

Change was brought about because of a shift in investment and subsidy from public transit to the private automobile. The change was followed by ominous results. But this is not about the ills of the automobile. I have a car, and I love to be in control, and I love to drive around the state looking for new places of interest. But the promise of the open road is no more, and there are many times that I would prefer to leave my car at home. This is about choices, and investment in the economic viability of the state.

The tides are turning as bus ridership increases daily. Now is not the time to cut back on transit services but to invest fully in the current system for economic development.

The Silver Line, a bus rapid-transit route in Boston, took only five years from planning to opening. During that period, $1.2 billion worth of new construction and rehabilitation were invested along a route only 2.25 miles long. This investment was leveraged with an expenditure of only $27 million. That is a 40-fold return on investment. Additionally, the route has doubled in ridership and shortened commuters’ travel times. Most of these gains took place in the first two years of service, before the arrival of the new articulated buses.

In Rhode Island there are many developers that have chosen wisely, locating next to transit lines. The revitalization of Hope Village, in Pawtucket, would not be possible without access to a transit line.

The site is midway between Pawtucket and Providence centers on RIPTA’s 99 line. However, even the 99 would be affected by the proposed cost savings through service reduction. The redevelopment happening in Olneyville is also supported by several transit lines. But any smart-growth implementation is threatened with bus service cutbacks. On the other hand, investment in public-transit infrastructure generates economic development, including jobs, and clean, affordable transportation choices.

There are many strong recommendations to properly finance transportation choices in Rhode Island, including those from Governor Carcieri’s Blue Ribbon Panel for Funding Transportation, the New Public Transit Alliance, and the Sierra Club’s recent report, “A Fare Choice.” Governor Carcieri, House Finance Chairman Steven Costantino and newly appointed Senate Finance Chairman Daniel DaPonte must work together to finance the Rhode Island Public Transit Authority so that it can grow with demand.

We can follow the lead of President Franklin D. Roosevelt and President-elect Obama and invest in our public-transit infrastructure to spur economic development while leaving something great for the next generation.

Jonathan Harris, a design consultant and graduate of RISD, is the recently elected transportation chairman for the Sierra Club’s Rhode Island chapter.