The City will be having an informational meeting about proposed enhancements and reconfiguration of the Kennedy Plaza area as well as details about Phase 3 of the Downtown Circulator project. The Circulator project includes reconstruction of LaSalle and Emmet Squares, Fountain Street, Broadway, part of Dorrance Street, and Exchange Terrace.
Rendering from Union Studio Architects [box style=”alert”]Update (Apr. 22): Union Studio News: Greater Kennedy Plaza[/alert] The Downtown Providence Parks Conservancy (DPPC) is set to unveil plans for the...
Empire and Weybosset Streets are set to become two-way on Tuesday, January 10th. Share your impressions of the new traffic pattern.
Phase 2 of the “Downtown Providence Traffic Circulation Improvements” have begun in earnest. This morning a lane was dropped on Weybosset Street, Mathewson Street is closed between Weybosset and Chapel...
Greater City Providence
Jef Nickerson
I note this is called an “informational meeting” not a “public hearing” but I hope there will be a role for public input anyway. A few weeks ago a planning official did meet with a few Ripa-Riders representatives and we had a good chance to explain our concerns.
Still I hope some of those that actually use RIPTA try to make this meeting as often the concerns of bus passengers, being basically unorganized and often of low income, are ignored by the decision makers who rarely use the buses. Indeed, transit users did not figure very much in various descriptions of this project (including the meeting announcement which talks only of improvements for vehicles and pedestrians) , including comments made by the Mayor.
Still, it seems transit passengers will remain a major user of the Plaza and it is important for us to still have reasonably easy transfers, good access to an indoor waiting room (think of cold or rainy weather) bathrooms, schedules and information, ticket sales, shelters, and security. But existing conditions are far from ideal so perhaps if the project is done right it might benefit passengers too.