Lt. Gov. Elizabeth H. Roberts joined public officials and transportation leaders from all six New England states last week to continue an effort to coordinate public transportation regionally. It was the second in a series of regional summits, this time focused on the opportunities that transportation innovation hold for regional economic growth.
Roberts has represented Rhode Island at both conferences, discussing the public transportation efforts and challenges in this state and urging collaboration.
“Rhode Island must play a role in developing a regional transportation strategy to grow economically and attract good jobs,” Roberts said in a news release. “Rhode Island is central to the regional economy, with our location between Boston and New York. I want to act on creative solutions to the transportation challenges we face; economic growth will only improve if we move forward with a regional plan.”
Roberts focused on reviving an intercity passenger rail triangle between Providence, Worcester and New London, utilizing existing rail lines. Connecticut’s plan is already in the works to revive the Worcester-New London passenger rail line.
Additional meetings are being planned between Roberts and conference participants to address the opportunities that connecting the triangle would present, the news release says, including the eventual goal of creating a regional interstate infrastructure authority.
Roberts said she plans to bring together key transportation partners within Rhode Island to coordinate efforts within the state and link them to the multi-state effort.
Officials from the six New England states are examining issues such as highway congestion and public transportation linkages between passenger rail, intercity bus, local bus and light rail service. In Springfield, the summit focused on the opportunities that reinvigorated passenger rail present for economic development by linking New England cities such as Boston, Providence, New London, Hartford, Springfield, Worcester and Fall River with wider regional resources along the New York/Montreal corridor.
The Springfield conference, coordinated by the National Corridors Initiative Inc. was hosted by Springfield Mayor Charles V. Ryan and Massachusetts Lt. Gov. Tim Murray.
