Better Transit for a Better Rhode Island

Transit Forward RI, which was adopted by the State Planning Council on December 10, 2020, is a bold and ambitious plan designed to help make Rhode Island a better and more prosperous place to live, work, and play.

Our economic health and quality of life are directly tied to the strength of our transit network. The improvements in the Transit Forward RI plan are designed to enhance mobility, help reduce greenhouse gas emissions, encourage active transportation, support economic development, and make Rhode Island a better place to live, work, and play.

We begin from a strong starting point. Demand for transit in Rhode Island is substantial, and RIPTA's services are already much better than those in other similarly sized cities in New England, as well as larger cities such as Nashville, Kansas City, and Fort Worth.

A plan of this scale will take time to implement in its entirety, but Rhode Island is already introducing plan-recommended improvements with the goal of fulfilling the Transit Forward RI vision by 2040. Many plan components are funded and poised to advance. In the short-term, among other things, riders will see faster transit services in dedicated lanes, investments in stops and regional hubs, and increased transit frequency.