Thursday, March 7, 2013
Brian Sullivan of Barrington rides the bus that serves West Barrington every weekday to get to work in Providence; it is targeted for elimination by RIPTA because it has a small number of riders.
Brian Sullivan of Barrington, who suffers from seizures, may lose the bus route that takes him back and forth to work in Providence each day because he can’t drive. And RIPTA’s plan to rebuild bus service statewide to slice into deficit spending emphasizes service to the many, not the few. “We know we’re going to be hurting some people,” said Mark Therrien, assistant general manager for planning and marketing for the RI Public Transit Authority. “But that route simply doesn’t serve a lot of people,” said Therrien with a grimace on his face. “We did this before and we hurt everyone.” Therrien was the primary speaker at a public forum in the Barrington library auditorium Wednesday evening on RIPTA’s Comprehensive Operational Analysis. The…
Wednesday, March 6, 2013
RIPTA has been putting proposed changes to its bus routes in front of public hearings; the Barrington hearing tonight is the final one.
RIPTA is considering changes to all of its bus routes to help overcome a multimillion-dollar deficit, including the possible elimination of the route that services West Barrington. It will be looking for feedback tonight in the Barrington library on those proposed changes at the final public hearing scheduled on its review of transit services – known as a Comprehensive Operational Analysis. The public hearing will run from 6 to 8 pm. "As part of this study, RIPTA has been working to identify the strengths and weaknesses of our bus system, and to determine where we might redirect resources to better serve our customers and attract more riders to our network," according to Mark Therrien, AGM of Planning at RIPTA. "Public input is a critical …
Monday, March 4, 2013
The RI Pubic Transit Authority has set up a Wednesday hearing in Barrington Town Hall to get feedback on proposed bus service changes, including Route 32 in West Barrington.
The final public hearing on proposed changes to Rhode Island Public Transit Authority (RIPTA) service will be held in the Barrington library on Wednesday night. The hearing will run from 6 to 8 pm. It is set up to gather feedback on RIPTA’s statewide review of transit services -- deemed a Comprehensive Operational Analysis (COA). That review could eliminate routes to overcome a multi-million dollar deficit. The COA, for instance, now appears to eliminate bus route 32 that goes through West Barrington by way of Washington Road and Bay Spring Avenue. "As part of this study, RIPTA has been working to identify the strengths and weaknesses of our bus system, and to determine where we might redirect resources to better serve our customers and …
Wednesday, February 27, 2013
Police were seen boarding a RIPTA passenger bus early Wednesday morning on West Main Road near Carnegie Tower; suspect is a Providence man with an extensive criminal record.
Updated at 1:25 p.m. Wednesday A Rhode Island Public Transit Authority (RIPTA) passenger was stabbed to death early Wednesday morning on a bus in Portsmouth, reports WPRI.com. The suspect is a Providence man with an extensive criminal record. Several early commuters drove by the RIPTA bus, which was seen stopped at 6:15 a.m. on West Main Road near the overlook at Lehigh Terrace. "On Feb. 27, at approximately 6:15 a.m. Portsmouth police were called to the area of West Main Road near Willow Lane in regards to a reported stabbing that occurred on a RIPTA bus," according to a release issued by Portsmouth police. "When police arrived on scene, they learned that a 46-year-old female resident of Portsmouth had been stabbed by a male passenger …
Monday, October 3, 2011
Public transit is the service where those who care about the forgotten, underserved and disenfranchised in this society must not back down.
I am tempted to cite statistics that prove the value of public transportation to economic development; to give worker- and student-ridership percentages and the savings those riders realize by taking the bus; to present statistics on how ridership has gone up in recent years despite fare increases, to point out that we will never adequately reduce carbon emissions without robust public-transit systems; to elaborate the health benefits associated with the more active lifestyle of a transit rider and the improved air quality of communities with less congested roadways; et cetera. In a more rational world, these convincing arguments would already have persuaded state leaders to expand Rhode Island Public Transit Authority (RIPTA) service, but…
Manifold Witness
4:03 pm on Thursday, March 7, 2013
The "East Providence Patch" had an article by Mr. Rupp that said that one option was for Route 33 to come into Barrington (but not continue to Warwick). Can't Routes 32 & 33 be streamlined and still accomodate a gentleman who needs to get to/from work in Providence? more ›