State considers merging transportation agencies

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WLNE) — Governor Raimondo is calling for transportation changes in her State of the State address.

“Imagine what Rhode Island would look like if we improved our trains, buses, and public transit, in the same way, with the same approach, as we tackle fixing our roads and bridges?” she said during the address.

RIDOT confirms the governor has asked the agency to work with other transportation agencies on improving efficiencies.

One potential option is merging RIPTA — which handles buses, and the Rhode Island Turnpike and Bridge Authority — which handles the Pell bridge, for example, into RIDOT.

Gary Sasse of Bryant University’s Institute for Public Leadership, has some reservations.

“DOT is responsible for designing, developing, maintaining, and building roads, bridges, and highways,” he said. “That’s a tremendous task in itself. They’re not responsible for moving people directly as RIPTA does. So would they be biting off more than they can chew?”

Sasse says that’s a lesson the state should’ve already learned.

“No one would suggest for a minute that the DOT be responsible for the airport authority,” he said. “They were back 40, 50 years ago and that was a disaster.”

Sasse is not sure a merger would benefit the public, because a larger bureaucracy might be less responsive to customer needs.

“Going to Transportation is just one more step in the process, that I’m not sure would benefit customers of the transit system,” he said. “Let’s talk about how we can cooperate, as opposed to consolidate.”

The agencies say the discussions are still preliminary and there is no timeline at this point.

© WLNE-TV / ABC6 2020