Gov. Daniel J. McKee's revelation that state officials are considering a new Providence location for a proposed bus hub has touched off criticism from not only bus riders worried about moving farther from a centralized site but those concerned about the economic consequences.
McKee has said an open parcel in the I-195 Redevelopment District is under consideration, a change from the proposed Dorrance Street location that has been on the Rhode Island Public Transit Authority's drawing board for several years.
Advocacy groups Rhode Island Transit Riders and Kennedy Plaza Resilience Coalition said in a statement that they were not consulted about the newest proposed location and expressed several concerns, including how far spots in the I-195 district are from popular downtown destinations.
RIPTA operates an outdoor transit center at Kennedy Plaza in the heart of downtown Providence but had floated the idea of a five-story indoor bus depot on Dorrance Street that would include RIPTA administrative offices, along with retail space, residential units and parking.
The bus agency had gone so far as to engage a construction and design partner for the project in August.
Now some are noting that moving RIPTA’s hub farther away from the center of downtown could inhibit economic growth in the area. The new area under consideration is as much as a half mile to the south of Kennedy Plaza.
“Having transit riders not just circulating in transportation, but on foot as consumers through the heart of downtown should be viewed as an economic plus,” said Scott Wolf, executive director of GrowSmartRI, noting that there has been a declining number of office workers downtown. “So, having a central hub in a non-central location could have some economic consequences.”
In terms of location, Joseph R. Paolino Jr., CEO and managing partner of Paolino Properties LP, which controls numerous prominent downtown properties, said he considers the I-195 District part of the downtown.
But regardless of where it is located, he agreed with Wolf that the hub’s design and bus routing around it will play an important role in how it affects downtown Providence.
Paolino and Wolf both said they’d like to see a design that retains features in the Dorrance Street proposal, such as restaurants, bathrooms and housing. They said it would be beneficial to have buses available to drop riders off closer to the heart of downtown.
Nothing has been finalized.
In a statement to Providence Business News, McKee’s office said the governor is still vetting proposals and considering multiple locations. Also, McKee said the R.I. Department of Transportation is studying how a hub at different locations would benefit both RIPTA’s service network and downtown overall.
Arnold “Buff” Chace Jr., managing partner of Cornish Associates L.P., a substantial property owner downtown, said state officials need to consider the ripple effects of making the transit center more convenient and comfortable. Chace said boosting the number of people who use public transportation offers not only environmental benefits, but also economic benefits of riders spending less on operating cars.
McKee’s office said the viability of retail, housing and commercial opportunities at the new hub are among the many factors, including environmental effects, being considered and are outlined in the request for proposal issued for a transit center on Dorrance Street.
According to the RFP, the proposed project site on Dorrance Street was preferable in part because it is between Providence’s business district and the Downtown Transit Connector and there is space for both transit service and mixed-use transit-oriented development opportunities.
Wolf said he believed the Dorrance Street location would be the most convenient and it's not clear why officials believe a spot in the I-195 District might be better.
McKee’s office did not answer that question when asked by PBN nor did it specify exactly which parcel in the I-195 district officials are eyeing.
Overall, stakeholders agree that drawing conclusions on a new RIPTA hub is challenging because it is a complex and ongoing process that requires input from community members.
“Let’s see what they come up with and hopefully it’s something we can all get behind that’s good for the riders and city,” Paolino said.
Anyplace is better than Kennedy Plaza.
Thumbs up Ray
It’s hard to comment on this new idea since the details are lacking. I do like the location and concept of the Dorrance Street proposal for many reasons, but the most important one is that it removes the bus service/waiting room aspects from Kennedy Plaza. For anyone doubting that and for city officials charged with making Providence more vibrant, I recommend this Washington Post article because it so relevant to issues in Providence: https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/interactive/2023/cleveland-downtown-empty-offices-transform/?itid=sr_1