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5 Transportation Improvement Plan
Chapter 4 presented detailed screening and packaging of potential improvement options
measured against the evaluation criteria established for this study, including
consideration of preliminary costs. Chapter 4 also presented concept plans (GIS-based
circulation and access management plans and overlay maps) for the recommended
transportation improvement alternatives.
This chapter builds on the alternatives evaluated in Chapter 4 by establishing the
phasing of recommendations into immediate, short, mid, and long-term actions and
policies that will comprise the overall transportation improvement plan for the Island.
5.1 Overview
From the outset of the study, ideas for transportation system improvements were
solicited from the public, stakeholders, and the Technical Steering Committee (TSC). The
alternatives were screened against the project scope and for fatal flaws and refined to
address any undesirable consequences by the Study Team and the TSC. This was
accomplished through iterative reviews conducted during meetings and working
sessions, where the priority and phasing for the recommendations were also identified.
From Chapter 4, the range of alternatives were described in detail and grouped into the
following packages:
Transit Improvements
Pedestrian/Bicycle Improvements
Roadway Improvements
Policy Recommendations
The recommended transit, pedestrian/bicycle, and roadway improvements described
in detail in Chapter 4, listed in order of performance (based on the evaluation criteria)
include:
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Recommended Transit Improvements
Encourage Transit Oriented Development
Provide Additional Bus Service
Establish Newport Jitney Service
Implement Rapid Bus Service
Strengthen and Expand Island-wide Multimodal Centers
Maintain Active Newport Secondary Rail Corridor
Enhance the Transit Experience
Encourage Island Employers to Institute Transit Programs for Employees
Create Park & Ride Opportunities
Enhance Ferry Service
Recommended Pedestrian/Bicycle Improvements
Shoreline Bikeway (Burma Road) Shared Use Path
Connect Missing Links Between Suitable Roads for Bicycles
Provide Island-wide Destination Signing for Bicycles
East Main Road Shared Use Path
West Main Road Shared Use Path
General Upgrades of Pedestrian Accommodations
Recommended Roadway Improvements
Pell Bridge Access Improvements
Traffic Signal Optimization
Two Mile Corner Improvements (either roundabouts or Geometric improvements)
Localized Intersection Capacity/Safety Improvement
Corys Lane/Hedley Street Realignment
West Main Road Left-turn Lanes
Burma Road Improvements (northern and southern alignments to be determined)
East Main Road Roundabouts
Broadway Streetscape & Traffic Calming Improvements
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The East Main Road Roundabouts (―Town Center‖ area) in Portsmouth and Broadway
Streetscape & Traffic Calming Improvements project in Newport are included at the
bottom of the list of recommended roadway improvements, as they were not evaluated
as part of the AITS. Both projects were endorsed by the Technical Steering Committee
and the Study Team as meeting the goals and objectives of the AITS.
The TSC and Study Team jointly developed and refined a matrix of the alternatives
which included potential implementation timeframes for each recommendation. The
time line utilized for the recommendations included immediate-term actions (under one
year), short-term actions (1 to 5 years), mid-term actions (5 to 10 years), and long-term
actions (over 10 years). Sections 5.2 through 5.5 summarize the immediate-term, short-
term, mid-term, and long-term recommended actions. Section 5.6 focuses on the policy
recommendations. Implementation of the recommendations is expected to be influenced
by external factors such as the region‘s economy, funding availability, and ease of right-
of-way acquisition where needed.
5.2 Immediate-Term (less than 1 year)
Recommendations
Immediate-term actions can be implemented within one year and address existing safety
and operational deficiencies or advance some aspects of longer-term improvement
projects. For the most part, the improvements that can be completed within one year
these include low-cost options that do not require environmental permitting, prolonged
design or approvals, or extensive community vetting.
The following immediate-term recommendations have already been implemented or are
underway:
1. Regional Traffic Incident Management Program
At the outset of the AITS, one of the immediate-term action items included the
establishment of a blueprint for managing, coordinating, and communicating special
events, construction projects, and traffic incidents on the Island. At the first Public
Information Meeting for the AITS, many concerns were voiced that the combination of
events, construction, and unplanned incidents occurring simultaneously on the Island
has created gridlock during peak times. Based on these concerns, the AIPC immediately
applied for and received funding to initiate a Regional Traffic Incident Management
Program for Aquidneck Island which would be conducted in parallel with the AITS. The
program will result in a Strategic Plan for managing special events, incidents, and
construction activities.
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2. West Main Road Left-turn Lane Assessments
Working closely with RIDOT, assessments have been conducted to determine the need,
benefit, and feasibility of adding left-turn lanes on West Main Road at the following
intersections:
Corys Lane (northbound)
Hedley Street (southbound)
King Charles Drive (northbound)
Raytheon Drive (northbound)
Union Street (southbound)
3. Traffic Signal Timing Optimization
Working closely with RIDOT, field reviews at existing traffic signals along West and
East Main Road have been completed. Timing and phasing plans have been fine-tuned
to optimize flow for vehicles while accommodating pedestrian crossings.
4. Road Safety Assessments (RSAs)
A road safety assessment (RSA) is a formal safety examination of a roadway or
intersection conducted by an independent, experienced multidisciplinary RSA team.
Because of the significant amount of data collected for the AITS, the RIDOT initiated a
pilot program on Aquidneck Island for a new initiative called RI*STARS (Strategically
Targeted Affordable Roadway Solutions), which is focused on delivering low-cost/high-
benefit traffic safety and mobility improvements. The program includes RSAs at ―hot
spot‖ locations based on safety and congestion. The ―hot spots‖ represent both high crash
and localized bottleneck locations. On Aquidneck Island, RSAs have been completed at
the following 17 locations:
Newport:
1. Admiral Kalbfus Road from JT Connell Hwy to Malbone Road
2. America‘s Cup Avenue from Market Square to Memorial Boulevard
3. Memorial Boulevard at Bellevue Avenue
4. America‘s Cup Avenue at West Marlborough Street
5. Memorial Boulevard at Rhode Island Avenue
Middletown:
6. West Main Road from Smythe Street to Coddington Hwy
7. West Main Road at Forest Avenue
8. West Main Road at Admiral Kalbfus Road
9. Aquidneck Avenue at Green End Avenue
10. East Main Road at Aquidneck Avenue
11. East Main Road at Turner Road
Portsmouth:
12. West Main Road at Stringham Road
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13. Bristol Ferry Road at Boyds Lane
14. East Main Road at Stubtoe Lane/Fairview Lane
15. West Main Road at Union Street
16. West Main Road at Bristol Ferry Road
17. East Main Road at Turnpike Avenue
Preliminary suggestions for safety improvements from the RSAs on Aquidneck
Island include pavement markings, signing, signal timing modifications, geometric
improvements to reduce pedestrian crossing widths, installation of median islands,
improved access management, and the installation of roundabouts in place of traffic
signals at some locations.
This RSA program will produce three separate reports with recommendations for
each community and will be available from the RIDOT Traffic Engineering Office.
The results of the RSAs will be immediate-term, short-term, and long-term
improvements to the intersections. The immediate-term improvements will likely
be implemented by RIDOT Maintenance, the short-term improvements will either
be added to other RIDOT projects currently under design or implemented under a
new project, and the long-term improvements will be implemented over time as
funding becomes available. Many of the recommendations under Localized
Intersection Capacity/ Safety Improvements would derive from these RSAs.
The recommended new immediate-term actions, described in detail in Chapter 4, listed
in order of performance (based on the evaluation criteria), include:
Transit
Encourage Island Employers to Institute Transit Programs for Employees
Create Park & Ride Opportunities (recommendation carries over as a short-term
action (1 to 5 years) due to right-of-way acquisition and construction)
Maintain Active Newport Secondary Rail Corridor
Pedestrian/Bicycle
Connect Missing Links between Suitable Roads for Bicycles (for striping changes
along some roadways)
Provide Island-wide Destination Signing for Bicycles
General Upgrades of Pedestrian Accommodations (immediate-term
recommendations would be derived from the RSAs)
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Roadway
Pell Bridge Access Improvements (begin design and permitting; project
implementation is expected to be completed in over 10 years)
Traffic Signal Optimization
Two Mile Corner Improvements (advance design and permitting; project
implementation is expected to be completed within 5 years)
Localized Intersection Capacity/ Safety Improvements (immediate-term
recommendations would be derived from the RSAs)
West Main Road Left-turn Lanes (Raytheon and Union design)
Burma Road Improvements (Navy coordination; project implementation is
expected to completed in over 10 years)
East Main Road Roundabouts (advance design; project implementation is expected
to be completed within 10 years)
Broadway Streetscape & Traffic Calming Improvements (design; project
implementation is expected to be completed within 5 years)
5.3 Short-Term (1 to 5 years) Recommendations
Short-term recommendations include those actions that address existing safety and
transportation infrastructure deficiencies within the study area. For the most part, these
improvements include low-cost options that can be substantially completed in a short
time-frame (1-5 years), with limited design and permitting efforts, and little to no
environmental impact. These recommendations also include early phases of longer-
term alternatives.
The recommended short-term actions described in detail in Chapter 4, along with the
mid-term and long-term actions that require permitting and design efforts to be initiated
in the short-term, listed in order of performance (based on the evaluation criteria),
include:
Transit
Encourage Transit Oriented Development
Provide Additional Bus Service
Establish Newport Jitney Service
Implement Rapid Bus Service
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Strengthen and Expand Island-wide Multimodal Centers
Maintain Active Newport Secondary Rail Corridor (phased action that begins in
the immediate-term)
Enhance the Transit Experience
Encourage Island Employers to Institute Transit Programs for Employees (phased
action that begins in the immediate-term)
Create Park & Ride Opportunities (phased action that begins in the immediate-
term)
Enhance Ferry Service
Pedestrian/Bicycle
Shoreline Bikeway (Burma Road) Shared Use Path (action requires a phased
implementation, portions of which would be implemented in the short-term
including permitting, design, and ROW actions; initiation of this project design is
dependent on the U.S. Navy approval as portions of the bikeway would be within
existing Navy right-of-way)
Connect Missing Links Between Suitable Roads for Bicycles (action requires a
phased implementation, portions of which would be implemented in the short-term
such as design, permitting, and ROW actions)
Provide Island-wide Destination Signing for Bicycles (phased action that begins in
the immediate-term)
East Main Road Shared Use Path (action requires a phased implementation,
portions of which would be implemented in the short-term such as design,
permitting, and ROW actions)
West Main Road Shared Use Path (action requires a phased implementation,
portions of which would be implemented in the short-term such as design,
permitting, and ROW actions)
General Upgrades of Pedestrian Accommodations (phased action that begins in the
immediate-term)
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Roadway
Pell Bridge Access Improvements (action requires a phased implementation,
portions of which would be implemented in the short-term such as design,
permitting, and ROW actions)
Traffic Signal Optimization (phased action that begins in the immediate-term)
Two Mile Corner Improvements (phased action that begins in the immediate-term)
Localized Intersection Capacity/ Safety Improvements (action requires a phased
implementation, portions of which would be implemented in the short-term such as
design, permitting, and construction of short-term improvements)
Corys Lane/Hedley Street Realignment
West Main Road Left-turn Lanes (design and construction)
Burma Road Improvements (short-term actions would include initiation of the
engineering design and environmental review process where the final alignment of
the north and south extensions would be determined; depending on alignments,
southern and northern extensions may require cooperation and approval from the
U.S. Navy)
East Main Road Roundabouts (action requires a phased implementation, portions
of which would be implemented in the short-term such as design, permitting, and
ROW actions)
Broadway Streetscape & Traffic Calming Improvements (complete design and
construction)
5.4 Mid-Term (5-10 years) Recommendations
Mid-term recommendations include improvements that focus on future transportation
needs, have longer permitting and design efforts, and can be more costly than the
previously presented immediate and short-term actions. It is anticipated that these
would be substantially completed in a 5 to 10 year timeframe.
The recommended mid-term actions (all part of phased actions that begin in either
immediate-term or short-term) described in detail in Chapter 4, listed in order of
performance (based on the evaluation criteria), include:
Transit
Strengthen and Expand Island-wide Multimodal Centers
Encourage Island Employers to Institute Transit Programs for Employees
Enhance Ferry Service
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Pedestrian/Bicycle
Shoreline Bikeway (Burma Road) Shared Use Path
Connect Missing Links Between Suitable Roads for Bicycles
East Main Road Shared Use Path
West Main Road Shared Use Path
General Upgrades of Pedestrian Accommodations
Roadway
Pell Bridge Access Improvements
Localized Intersection Capacity/Safety Improvements
Burma Road Improvements
East Main Road Roundabouts
5.5 Long-Term (beyond 10 years) Recommendations
Long-term recommendations are capital intensive and often take longer periods of time
to design, fund, and construct. It is anticipated that these projects would be
implemented beyond the 10 year timeframe. They include those actions that may not be
necessary under existing conditions, but will be needed to handle future traffic demands
if the trends highlighted in this report remain accurate.
The recommended long-term actions (all part of phases actions that begin in immediate-
term, mid-term or short-term) described in detail in Chapter 4, listed in order of
performance (based on the evaluation criteria), include:
Transit
Strengthen and Expand Island-wide Multimodal Centers
Pedestrian/Bicycle
Shoreline Bikeway (Burma Road) Shared Use Path
Roadway
Pell Bridge Access Improvements
Burma Road Improvements
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5.6 Policy Recommendations
Policy recommendations that have been carried forward are aimed at refining the
framework for transportation and land use planning on the Island. The policies are
intended to promote the principles of Livable and Sustainable Communities and
enhance the economic and social well-being of all people on Aquidneck Island by
creating and maintaining a safe, reliable, integrated and accessible transportation
network that enhances choices for transportation users, provides easy access to
employment opportunities and other destinations, and promotes positive effects on the
surrounding community. This will be accomplished through collaboration among
federal, state, and municipal partners using the ―HUD-DOT-EPA Partnership for
Sustainable Communities‖ as a strategic resource, to accomplish the planning,
educating, and institution of coordinated, Livable and Sustainable Community
activities.
Implementation of the policy recommendations is expected to vary for each
recommendation. It is envisioned that the policy recommendations would evolve over
time and require refinement as statewide and municipal transportation and land use
policy and zoning regulations change. The Island community Comprehensive Plans and
zoning would evolve to reflect goals, objectives, and policies consistent with the AITS
policies and vision.
External factors such as the region‘s economy, tolling on the Island‘s bridges, the price
of fuel, and the advancement of alternative fuels and sustainable transportation options
will heavily influence these policies and could have a much more significant impact on
future transportation on the Island.
Recommended transportation and land use policies described in detail in Chapter 4
include:
Promote safety as a top priority
within transportation planning and
in the delivery of all infrastructure
projects (including requiring Road
Safety Assessments where
appropriate), and target educational
activities to current and future
travelers to improve safety for all
transportation modes.
Continue to develop land use
policies/Zoning Ordinances that support transit-oriented development with
housing, retail, and jobs collocated with each other near transit.
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Ensure that the Island community Comprehensive Land Use Plans and Zoning
Ordinances reflect goals, objectives, and policies that support safety and access
management where appropriate and incorporate the AITS policies.
Establish TDM program requirements in Zoning Ordinance for new, large projects;
for projects over certain thresholds, consider traffic monitoring requirements and
potential enforcement strategies for exceeding traffic thresholds.
Develop Newport city-wide strategic parking plan.
Develop a bicycle parking/sidewalk Zoning Ordinance that includes bicycle
parking and sidewalk requirements into site plan review.
Develop a motorcoach parking plan that regulates where tourist buses can drop-off,
pick-up, park, and stage when idle.
Promote the ―park once‖ concept in Newport with alternate transportation modes
(i.e. car sharing, bike sharing, pedicabs, etc.).
Establish better communication and coordination between state and local agencies
during development site plan reviews.
Promote a Complete Streets approach to design and renovation of infrastructure
that ensures safety and mobility for all travelers are considered.
Reduce GHG emissions through comprehensive actions that lower VMT and allow
safe non-motorized travel, reduce vehicle idling time, enable the use of lower GHG
fuels, and encourages fuel efficient vehicles.
Plan, design, build, and standardize the delivery, preservation, and maintenance
solutions necessary to achieve green infrastructure. Comprehensive solutions
include materials, elements, systems, activities, and performance connected to the
infrastructure.
Expand the Island-wide bicycle network through bicycle suitability studies for local
roads and the development of bicycle plans for each Island municipality to increase
the number of suitable roads for bicycles linking key destinations to improve
mobility.
Establish an Island-wide strategic transportation committee that would oversee the
implementation of the recommended actions and policies from this study and
discuss important policy issues mentioned in the plan but beyond the scope of the
study. Potential members could include representation from municipal town
councils, planning and zoning boards, planning departments, chamber of
commerce, tourism, RIDOT, RIPTA or other citizen, social, or civic groups.
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5.7 Summary
This chapter established the phasing of recommendations for the study, which includes
projects and policies. Table 5-1 summarizes the suggested implementation timeframes
for the study recommendations. This phasing plan, coupled with the policy
recommendations in section 5.6, comprises the Transportation Improvement Plan, or
blueprint, for enhancements to the Island‘s transportation system. Chapter 6 will build
on these phasing recommendations by identifying ―next steps‖ and calling out the
organizations responsible for the implementation of each phased action. Chapter 6 is
the final chapter which will provide an overview of the resulting ―blueprint‖ that has
been presented in previous chapters. This blueprint will serve as a coordinated and
sustainable development plan for the Island‘s transportation system.
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Table 5-1 Suggested Implementation Timeframes
Implementation Timeframe
(multiple timeframes indicate
phased implementation)
Imm
edia
te
(les
s th
an 1
yea
r)
Sh
ort
-ter
m
(1-5
yea
rs)
Mid
-ter
m
(5-1
0 ye
ars)
Lo
ng
-ter
m
(10+
yea
rs)
TR
AN
SIT
IM
PR
OV
EM
EN
TS
Encourage Transit Oriented Development
Provide Additional Bus Service
Establish Newport Jitney Service
Implement Rapid Bus Service
Strengthen and Expand Island-wide Multimodal Centers
Maintain Active Newport Secondary Rail Corridor
Enhance the Transit Experience
Encourage Island Employers to Institute Transit Programs for Employees
Create Park & Ride Opportunities
Enhance Ferry Service
PE
DE
ST
RIA
N/B
ICY
CL
E
IMP
RO
VE
ME
NT
S
Shoreline Bikeway (Burma Road) Shared Use Path
Connect Missing Links Between Suitable Roads for Bicycles
Provide Island-wide Destination Signing for Bicycles
East Main Road Shared Use Path
West Main Road Shared Use Path
General Upgrades of Pedestrian Accommodations
RO
AD
WA
Y IM
PR
OV
EM
EN
TS
Pell Bridge Access Improvements
Traffic Signal Optimization
Two Mile Corner Improvements
Localized Intersection Capacity/ Safety Improvements
Corys Lane/Hedley Street Realignment
West Main Road Left-turn Lanes
Burma Road Improvements
East Main Road Roundabouts
Broadway Streetscape & Traffic Calming Improvements