PROVIDENCE – The R.I. Department of Transportation has issued a request for proposals to companies that can design and test and eventually deliver an automated vehicle service to fill the transportation gap between Providence and Olneyville via the Woonasquatucket corridor, RIDOT announced Monday.
The selected company will work with RIDOT to identify and propose a route and schedule of operations, as well as plan, design, test and operate a pilot mobility service.
“Providence is on the cutting edge of developing technologies that could change the way we think about transportation,” stated Mayor Jorge O. Elorza. “We’re excited to bring this project to better connect Olneyville to the rest of the city.”
The project, which RIDOT is calling the Rhode Island Transportation Innovation Partnership Mobility Challenge, or TRIP, would involve the creation of a public-private partnership to execute the operation of “highly automated and/or autonomous vehicles to connect to downtown Providence.”
RIDOT suggested that the program would mitigate travelling challenges for some of those affected by the 6-10 Interchange project.
The department said that initial testing for a pilot mobility service could occur as soon as the end of 2018.
Proposals are due by mid-Summer according to RIDOT. The department’s selection will award a contract in the fall.
“While we rebuild our roads and bridges through RhodeWorks, we must be mindful of the significant advancements underway and think about how we plan to be ready for the next generation of transportation,” said Gov. Gina M. Raimondo in a statement. “We’re engaging in these efforts so that we are ready to adapt to a changing world and guide Rhode Island toward economic revitalization and job creation for a better connected workforce and economy.”
This isn’t the first time that autonomous public transit has been considered by the state. The R.I. Commerce Corp. included the potential of autonomous buses in its HQ2 pitch to Amazon.com Inc.
Chris Bergenheim is the PBN web editor.
