The troubled efforts to move Rhode Island’s main transit hub continue, despite concerns from riders.  Over the last several months RI Transit Riders has heard that state leaders were focusing their attention on yet another site to shift the Providence bus hub to.  Although the transit rider community was not consulted about this latest location on a remote portion of I-195 land, the rumors were confirmed in this December 8, 2023 radio interview with Governor Daniel McKee.

From a transit perspective, this site is far from many of the most frequented downtown destinations, unlike the current hub location at Kennedy Plaza. RI Transit Riders has concerns about whether this location will be safe, central, and rider-friendly enough to be worth the expense.  We will defer final comment for now, but we would need a solid case for why this location is better for riders as compared with an improved hub at Kennedy Plaza.  The case for the I-195 District will need to account for factors such as the convenience of getting to/from passengers’ desired destinations, travel trip time comparisons to existing conditions in Kennedy Plaza or the previously proposed hub at Dorrance St., intermodal connectivity with rail and intercity bus, security, and transit center amenities.  We would expect to engage with the Governor’s administration and other decision makers before a final determination of a site is made.

We also note that moving the hub, which was never requested by riders or approved by voters, would be highly expensive.  Transit users’ main budget priority remains keeping RIPTA funded and providing funds to implement the transit service improvements outlined in the 2020 state-approved Transit Master Plan (TMP).  Without hesitation, we place a much greater priority on financing the TMP than on creating a new transit hub facility.  In the long run, the service improvements called for in the TMP provide the only real opportunity to increase ridership across the state, to help address our acute housing crisis, and to alleviate the worst effects of climate change.

If there is a desire to press ahead with relocating the main bus hub, we require not only a substantiated case that it would be helpful on balance for transit, but also a commitment from the state that funding to implement the TMP will be available despite the high cost of the proposed Providence hub relocation.

Patricia Raub and Amy Glidden, Co-chairs, RI Transit Riders. ritransitriders@gmail.com

The Kennedy Plaza Resilience Coalition has co-signed this statement.