Providence ?deserves ?fewer lots

Take a moment to examine this week’s cover. That’s right, all that red you see represents surface parking lots in Providence’s downtown. To all those people who over the years have complained that there isn’t enough parking in the city, the response must be – really? For too long, buildings were allowed to be torn

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  1. A PRT mass transit system built mainly along Rhode Island’s bike path right of ways and Rhode Island’s abandoned rail right of ways could connect Bristol, Pawtucket, Lincoln, Smithfield, Cranston, Warwick, West Warwick and Coventry to downtown Providence. This PRT system would join a circulator loop that would provide access to Providence’s shopping malls, hospitals, universities, Union Station and main business district. Because Rhode Island controls most of these right of ways, construction cost would be relatively low, about 8 million dollars per mile. Federal transportation funds would provide 90% of the construction costs of this PRT system. Rhode Island’s cost to build this system would be about 8 million dollars per year for five years. Once built, this PRT system would eliminate the need for a large percentage of the existing surface parking lots in downtown Providence. A few stories could be added to each existing parking garage to increase the amount of taxable business space.