The Town of Portsmouth, RI, is planning to vote on a resolution at the next town council meeting in response to RIDOT’s proposed Statewide Transportation Improvement Program Major Amendment #11. The Amendment proposes to cut $26.52M from the Transportation Alternatives Program , including the elimination 31.6 miles of on- and off-road bicycle infrastructure across the state. Resolution # 2019-02-11A “A Resolution Requesting the RIDOT to Reject The Proposed Cuts to the Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP)” urges the Transportation Advisory Committee to reject the proposed cuts to Transportation Alternatives, urging RIDOT to adopt a Complete Streets approach and make biking and walking part of every road design:
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Portsmouth Town Council requests that the Transportation Advisory Committee and the State Planning Council reject the proposed TIP Amendment #11 and requests that the Rhode Island Department of Transportation (RIDOT) address the transportation budget shortfall within the more robust highway and pavement projects and leave the already underfunded Transportation Alternative Program intact. Furthermore, we request that RIDOT consider every road project a Complete Streets project, and work to maximize the safety of all road users by accounting for motorized traffic, bicycles, and pedestrians in every road design.
Of the proposed cuts to Transportation Alternatives in Major Amendment #11, projects in the town of Portsmouth account for 20% of the total funds being cut. Two projects on East Main Road proposed to be eliminated would add much-need sidewalk and bicycle infrastructure to the cooridor. STIP Project ID 9005 East Main Road Shared Use Path would create a 2 mile shared-use path for pedestrians and bicyclists within the East Main Road corridor from Hedly Street to the Middletown town line, and STIP Project ID 5164 East Main Road Sidewalks would add 2.7 miles of ADA compliant sidewalks on East Main Road from Turnpike Avenue to Boyd’s Lane. In 2018, 180 crashes occured on East Main Road.
The Portsmouth Town Council meeting will be held on Monday, February 11, 2019, at 7:00 PM in the Town Council Chambers of Portsmouth Town Hall, 2200 East Main Road.
Click here for the full agenda.
To learn more about Statewide Transportation Improvement Program Major Amendment #11 and what you can do to help, Click Here