In trying to serve all interests with its plan to create multiple bus hubs in downtown Providence, the R.I. Department of Transportation is in danger of satisfying none.
The plan released this fall would reduce bus berths in Kennedy Plaza from 12 to four. This would significantly reduce congestion there. But The Providence Foundation says even four berths are too many, if the goal is to count the plaza among the nation’s great public spaces.
The foundation, which includes downtown business leaders, also has concerns about several other aspects of the plan. And it is not alone, including those who think the plan is designed to serve the interests of those downtown businesses.
That includes Barry Schiller, a former board member for the R.I. Public Transit Authority. He says the new routes will limit access to central Providence, in part by sending many riders near the Garrahy Judicial Complex, “which is further away than most people want to go.”
But RIPTA CEO Scott Avedisian says shifting most bus trips to a new station across from the Garrahy complex does serve the needs of many riders, based on interviews. Feedback from riders on the overall plan has been mixed, he says.
So, is the new bus plan about freeing Kennedy Plaza of congestion, ensuring access from all points to the city center or bringing more riders closer to their destinations? Or is it all of the above?
Until RIDOT, which says the plan is still being finalized, clearly answers those questions, it will continue taking flak from all sides on the proposal.
