RIPTA to hold public hearings on proposed service changes
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WLNE) — Public hearings will be held by the Rhode Island Public Transit Authority on April 8 and 15 in West Warwick to discuss proposed service changes.
These changes were first announced in February in response to RIPTA’s driver shortage, which had a direct impact on the level of bus services, according to RIPTA.
RIPTA announced in March that the proposed changes would be postponed.
This was to measure the effects of a starting salary increase on driver recruitment and retention, as well as to further evaluate routes to lessen the impact on passengers.
RIPTA has revised some of the original proposed service changes by identifying the lowest performing routes, as well as the increase of service frequency on high performing routes.
The public hearing locations and proposed route changes are as follows:
Monday, April 8, 2024
The Providence Foundation
Commerce Center auditorium
30 Exchange Terrace, Providence
12 – 2 p.m. & 5 – 7 p.m.
Monday, April 15, 2024
West Warwick Public Library
1043 Main Street, West Warwick
12 – 2 p.m. & 5 – 7 p.m.
Proposed Route Changes
Increase in Trip Frequency or Number of Trips
Route 51 (Charles St./Twin River/CCRI)
Route 54 (Lincoln/Woonsocket)
Route 72 (Weeden/Central Falls)
Route 92 (East Side/Federal Hill/RI College)
Regular Route Eliminations
Route QX (Quonset Express)
Route 12x (Arctic/117 Express Park-n-Ride)
Route 59x (North Smithfield/Lincoln Mall)
Route 61x (Tiverton/East Bay Park-n-Ride)
Route 76 (Central Ave.) – This will be combined with Route 80 to create a new Route 70.
Route 80 (Armistice Blvd.) – This will be combined with Route 76 to create a new Route 70.
Route 88 (Simmons Village Service)
Route Segment Eliminations Eliminated Segment
Route 6 (Prairie Ave./CCRI/RW Zoo) This route will no longer serve Colony House
Route 14 (West Bay) All service between North Kingstown to Narragansett (Saturday only)
Route 16 (Bald Hill /New England Tech) All service between First & Main and Quonset
Route 58 (Mineral Spring/North Providence) Mineral Spring to Rte. 146 (one trip affected)
Route 68 (CCRI NPT/Mem. Blvd./First Beach) Newport Transportation Center to CCRI Newport
Elimination of Saturday Service
Route 18 (Union Ave.) – this route does not currently operate on Sunday.
Route 64 (Newport/URI/Kingston Station) – this route does not currently operate on Sunday.
Elimination of Sunday Service
Route 23 (Arctic/Crompton/Centre of NE)
Elimination of All Weekend Service
Route 6 (Prairie Ave./CCRI/RW Zoo)
Route 29 (CCRI Warwick/Conimicut)
Route 75 (Dexter/Lincoln Mall)
Reduction in Trip Frequency or Number of Trips
Route 6 (Prairie Ave./CCRI/RW Zoo)
Route 16 (Bald Hill /New England Tech)
Route 18 (Union Ave.)
Route 21 (Reservoir/Malls/CCRI)
Route 64 (Newport/URI Kingston)
Route 65x (Wakefield Express)
Route 87 (Fairmount/Walnut Hill)
Route 95x (Westerly Express)
Reduction in Span of Service
Route 3 (Oakland Beach)
Route 4 (Warwick Neck)
Route 13 (Coventry/Arctic/CCRI)
Route 16 (Bald Hill /New England Tech)
Route 23 (Arctic/Crompton/Centre of NE)
Route 71 (Broad St./Pawtucket Ave)
Route 73 (Mineral Spring/Twin River/CCRI)
New Route
Route 70
