[Summit] Fw: RIPTA and the City invite Public Comment on Kennedy Plaza & a Downtown Transit Connector

Wed Apr 26 14:30:18 UTC 2017

“DTC” in the message below refers to a proposed Downtown Transit Connector (or Corridor).
“US DOT” is the U.S. Department of Transportation, currently headed by former Labor Secretary Elaine Chao, the wife of Mitch McConnell (R-Ky), Majority Leader in the U.S. Senate.“TIGER” stands for “Transit Investment Generating Economic Recovery”. Originally part of the post-2008 stimulus, it has been continued after an unevenly-distributed recovery because of this country’s huge infrastructure backlog.

¶ It should be remembered that the City of Providence, RIPTA and Amtrak want to relocate the city’s transit hub uphill to the area around new Union Station (opposite the State House) from downtown, which has been the central hub for over a century.

Unfortunately for those around Wayland Square and for dog-lovers (let alone jazz-lovers), this May 9th hearing conflicts with a 6 - 7:30 p.m. meeting of the Wayland Sq. Neighborhood Association in Red Stripe and a 7 - 8 p.m. meeting of the Waterman St. Dog Park committee at Books on the Square.

¶ Speaking strictly for myself and for absolutely no one else, 

(1) leaving Kennedy Plaza empty in hopes that it would fill spontaneously with desired activities seemed pretty optimistic, especially when one considers the bleak desolate wasteland around Boston City Hall;
(2) I can’t see how to persuade a significant number of transit riders (many of them elderly, physically impaired or weighed down with purchases and luggage) to climb the approach to Smith Hill to a new transit hub. The net result would just be to decrease transit ridership, speeding a reciprocal death-spiral of fewer riders and fewer resources.

 (3) The Downtown Transit Connector at first blush and to my jaded eyes, seems like yet another stab for federal transit funds which may soon (Sec. Chao notwithstanding) dwindle with a President, Budget Director and Congress that have other priorities. 

Most recently, the proposals for a trolley-line or — failing that — a dedicated rapid-bus line were based on an (ultimately-unsuccessful) TIGER Grant proposal. On the other hand, some federal TIGER funds have been granted and used for the Corridor already, although more will be sought. 

The great weakness in many such grants is that they are only for a few years, while local, state or user funding in the future is always very uncertain. The days when the Chafees could use their senior seats on the U.S. Senate Committee on the Environment & Public Works to get Rhode Island wholly disproportionate transit grants (e.g. for the converted Kennedy Plaza “intermodal” bus terminal) are long, long gone.
Enough of my purely personal opinions.
Best wishes for the end of April and approach of May,

Dave

     ----- Forwarded Message -----
 From: RIPTA <marketinginfo at ripta.com>
 To: 
 Sent: Wednesday, April 26, 2017 8:52 AM
 Subject: CITY OF PROVIDENCE AND RIPTA INVITE PUBLIC COMMENT ON KENNEDY PLAZA AND DOWNTOWN TRANSIT CONNECTOR

 CITY OF PROVIDENCE AND RIPTA INVITE PUBLIC COMMENT ON KENNEDY PLAZA AND DOWNTOWN TRANSIT CONNECTOR#yiv7027801410 div.yiv7027801410OutlookMessageHeader {background-image:url('https://madmimi.com/images/606841-138901578-6770780483-5bbb40679b988bc53883ceb92ea3dfb79fe6be5d/native_forward.gif?');}#yiv7027801410 table.yiv7027801410moz-email-headers-table, #yiv7027801410 .yiv7027801410moz-forward-container {background-image:url('https://madmimi.com/images/606841-138901578-6770780483-5bbb40679b988bc53883ceb92ea3dfb79fe6be5d/native_forward.gif?');}#yiv7027801410 blockquote t {background-image:url('https://madmimi.com/images/606841-138901578-6770780483-5bbb40679b988bc53883ceb92ea3dfb79fe6be5d/native_forward.gif?');}#yiv7027801410 #yiv7027801410MailContainerBody t {background-image:url('https://madmimi.com/images/606841-138901578-6770780483-5bbb40679b988bc53883ceb92ea3dfb79fe6be5d/native_forward.gif?');}#yiv7027801410 .yiv7027801410gmail_quote {background-image:url('https://madmimi.com/images/606841-138901578-6770780483-5bbb40679b988bc53883ceb92ea3dfb79fe6be5d/native_forward.gif?');}#yiv7027801410 .yiv7027801410ecxmodule, #yiv7027801410 .yiv7027801410ecxmodule.yiv7027801410ecxmadmimi-text-container{width:524px;}#yiv7027801410 div.yiv7027801410ecxmodule table tbody tr td div.yiv7027801410ecxmadmimi-text-container ul li{width:539px;}#yiv7027801410 .yiv7027801410ecxmodule .yiv7027801410ecxmadmimi-text-container h1, #yiv7027801410 .yiv7027801410ecxmodule .yiv7027801410ecxmadmimi-text-container h2, #yiv7027801410 .yiv7027801410ecxmodule .yiv7027801410ecxmadmimi-text-container h3, #yiv7027801410 .yiv7027801410ecxmodule .yiv7027801410ecxmadmimi-text-container h4, #yiv7027801410 .yiv7027801410ecxmodule .yiv7027801410ecxmadmimi-text-container h5, #yiv7027801410 .yiv7027801410ecxmodule .yiv7027801410ecxmadmimi-text-container h6{font-weight:bold;}#yiv7027801410 .yiv7027801410ecxmodule .yiv7027801410ecxmadmimi-text-container ul{padding-left:10px !important;}#yiv7027801410 .yiv7027801410ecxmodule .yiv7027801410ecxmadmimi-text-container ol{padding-left:30px !important;}#yiv7027801410 #yiv7027801410ecxsocial_share_table td, #yiv7027801410 td#yiv7027801410ecxsocial_share_tweakers{padding-bottom:20px !important;}#yiv7027801410 td#yiv7027801410ecxmadmimi_footer_right{padding-bottom:5px;}#yiv7027801410 .yiv7027801410ecxmodule.yiv7027801410ecxtext, #yiv7027801410 .yiv7027801410ecxmodule.yiv7027801410ecxlarge-image-container, #yiv7027801410 .yiv7027801410ecxmodule.yiv7027801410ecxsmall-image-container{padding:5px 0 10px;}#yiv7027801410 .yiv7027801410ecxmodule .yiv7027801410ecxmadmimi-text-container .yiv7027801410ecxmimi-bullet img{display:none;}#yiv7027801410 .yiv7027801410ecxmodule .yiv7027801410ecxmadmimi-text-container table.yiv7027801410ecxoutside-block{display:block;visibility:visible;}#yiv7027801410 .yiv7027801410ecxmodule .yiv7027801410ecxmadmimi-text-container table.yiv7027801410ecxoutside-block {width:10px !important;height:10px;padding:0.6em 0 0 0;}#yiv7027801410 .yiv7027801410ecxmodule .yiv7027801410ecxmadmimi-text-container .yiv7027801410ecxoutside-block td.yiv7027801410ecxmimi-bullet {display:block;width:4px !important;height:4px;background-color:#3A352A;font-size:12px !important;line-height:1.5em !important;max-height:1.5em !important;}#yiv7027801410 * #yiv7027801410madmimi_outer_wrapper q:before {}#yiv7027801410 * #yiv7027801410madmimi_outer_wrapper q:after {}  
|  CITY OF PROVIDENCE AND RIPTA INVITE PUBLIC COMMENT ON KENNEDY PLAZA AND DOWNTOWN TRANSIT CONNECTOR Meeting Will Be Held May 9, 2017 In Downtown Provi   
|    |
|

|  
|  
|    |

  |
|  
|  
| 
CITY OF PROVIDENCE AND RIPTA INVITE PUBLIC COMMENT ON KENNEDY PLAZA AND DOWNTOWN TRANSIT CONNECTOR

Meeting Will Be Held May 9, 2017 In Downtown Providence
 |

| Please join the City of Providence and RIPTA for an update on the Downtown Transit Connector (DTC) -- a planned, high-frequency transit corridor in downtown Providence -- and an opportunity to provide further input on the redesign of Kennedy Plaza. The meeting will be held Tuesday, May 9, 2017, from 5:30 to 7 PM at the Joseph Doorley Municipal Building (first floor), 444 Westminster Street, Providence.Both RIPTA and the City of Providence are seeking public input on the planned high-frequency DTC service and Kennedy Plaza, which will be a key stop. The City is in the process of looking at options for a long-term vision for Kennedy Plaza to make it a more active, vibrant, safe and attractive city center while also accommodating public transit. In February, the City hosted a community meeting to gather public input on the redesign of the Plaza. During the upcoming May 9th meeting, the City will again engage community members in a discussion about the remaining options for the Plaza and surrounding area.At the same time that the City is exploring options for the Plaza, RIPTA is working to advance design and engineering of the DTC. The DTC will create six “station-like” stops on a high frequency route between Providence Station and the Hospital District, and includes service through Kennedy Plaza. These stops will be designed to be unique and highly visible. Features will include shelters, real time bus arrival signage, bike infrastructure and other passenger amenities to create attractive public spaces. Part of the design effort will include branding to create a specific identity for the new transit corridor.To create the new enhanced service corridor, RIPTA will extend about seven existing bus routes through the area to provide reliable transit service every 5 minutes between Providence Station and the Hospital District. Transit signal priority, a technology successfully used on RIPTA’s R-Line route, will be installed to extend green lights for buses and, in some locations dedicated bus lanes will allow buses to move more quickly in traffic.The DTC project is funded by RIPTA and a $13 million USDOT TIGER grant awarded to the City in 2015. RIDOT is providing funding for enhancements along the Exchange Street portion of the corridor to help create a more welcoming gateway from Providence Station to Kennedy Plaza. That portion of the project is also supported by federal funds. Additional funding will be sought to support identified Kennedy Plaza improvements.For more information on the DTC project, please visit www.ripta-dtc.com. |

|    |

  |

  |

  |
|  
|  
|   ©2017 RIPTA | 705 Elmwood Ave.| Providence, RI | 02907  
|    |

   |

  |

  |

|   |

|   |

    |

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://sna.providence.ri.us/pipermail/summit_sna.providence.ri.us/attachments/20170426/345547dd/attachment.htm>