• Auto
• Single passenger vehicle (SPV)
• Carpool
• Vanpools
• School buses
• RIPTA bus and trolleys
• Biking
• Recreational
• Commuting
• Walking
• Boats
• Taxis
• Land
• Water
• Commuter Rail

Another participant pointed out traffic calming projects "to make neighborhoods safer for pedestrians and provide safer traffic solutions."

Several individuals discussed various aspects of the Rhode Island Public Transit Authority (RIPTA). One participant informed the group of Transit 2000, a RIPTA initiative that began with an extensive study into where people take buses and rerouted bus routes to better match. "The goal is to provide more bus service to where more people are taking the bus."

Other people mentioned the Olneyville intermodal bus terminal that is being developed with funding from the most recent federal transportation bill (T21). That legislation, according to one participant, included Transportation Systems Community Preservation funding. The hope is that "people in Olneyville don't necessarily have to go all the way into Providence."

Efforts to enhance bike paths were also mentioned, including a plan to create a path along Allens Avenue that connects to the East Bay bike path. A bike rider in the group who currently uses that route said, "there is plenty of room now, the problem is dodging broken glass."

Subsidized parking was discussed as a contributing factor to Providence's transportation issues. "Users don't full-pay the costs of acquiring, creating, spiking, patrolling and maintaining" the lots one participant said. "Why should state government give free parking to employees at the same time as it is lamenting that it has to subsidize RIPTA? Government is fighting itself," he said.

One participant explained that she lives in Bristol and commutes to Providence. "I get very inexpensive parking. So cheap that I really can't take the bus," she said.

One positive effort the government has put forth, according to one participant, is a revision in the federal tax code allowing corporations ó and federal employees thanks to a recent bill rider ó to take a pre-tax deduction for mass transportation costs. If selected, that deduction replaces the previously allowable tax deduction for the cost of parking. Participants also mentioned the trolley system that is now serving parts of Providence, increased Boston to Providence rail service, electric police cars and RIPTA buses using alternative fuels as other ongoing efforts they are aware of.

Several suggestions to enhance RIPTA ridership were offered. Session participants said there is a need for more bus shelters and a need to make bus schedules available at the shelters. One person suggested installing heaters in bus shelters. Other suggestions included creating a distance-based fare structure instead of a flat fee. A flat fee was seen as a disencentive for short-distance riders. Placing more alternative-fuel buses into use was also encouraged.

One woman told of her attempt to ride the bus. "I was there seven minutes before the bus should have left and it was already gone," she said. The group agreed that buses should run more frequently and take greater care to follow the schedule.

Another person recounted her experience of trying to take the bus route on Broad Street to where she is employed in downtown Providence. "RIPTA buses are so packed with students they would just drive by me at bus stops," she said. The suggestions were made that schools should add buses or RIPTA should increase scheduling along routes with large numbers of students.

The new trolley system in Providence was mentioned as a positive addition, and a desire was expressed that the trolleys should expand up other arteries within the city, including Westminster and Cranston Streets.

The group agreed that better protection for pedestrians is desired. To that end, suggested actions included the following.
 
 

• Enforcing pedestrian priority in crosswalks.
• Posting signs explaining the fines.
• Placing pedestrian crossing button on traffic signals.
• Clearly marking crosswalks.
• Repainting crosswalks after re-paving streets.
• Traffic calming efforts including roundabouts and neckdowns in neighborhoods.
• Enforcing speed limits.
• Posting the speed limit.
• Restricting right turns on red lights.
• Maintain pedestrian access during construction projects.

• The need for more bike lanes striped into Providence's roads.
• Better maintenance of existing bike paths, both in terms of the condition of the paving itself and cleaning the pavement of litter and debris.
• Creating more bicycle paths.
• Installing more bicycle racks throughout the city.
• Placing more bicycle racks on RIPTA buses.

One participant suggested that what is needed is a statewide comprehensive long-range transportation planning effort. The effort should "include not only vehicle traffic but railroad, bus, boat, air ó everything," she said. Another participant responded that such a document already exists, but that he felt that very few people in the state have actually read it. "The same ideas have been out there for 30 years," he told the group. "We need to group them and give responsibility." He suggested there is a need to create a transportation management authority (TMA) that could bring all entities together (e.g., the city, the legislature, DOT, RIPTA, the Chamber of Commerce and the airport authority).

Several individuals in this session felt that there is a general need for better outreach efforts to the diverse communities in Providence. "If you see who is here, and just the fact that we are having this dialogue in English versus having it interpreted; how many individuals are we excluding from this conference?" one person asked the group. He said that effort to ensure diverse participation, while it requires time and funding, needs to be incorporated at earliest planning stages.