Q. How is the project funded?
A. The project is federally funded through a grant awarded to the AIPC by the Rhode Island Department of Transportation (RIDOT) and the Rhode Island Department of Administration’s (RIDOA) Statewide Planning Program (SPP).

Q. Who is conducting and overseeing the project?
A. The AIPC is managing the project in close coordination with its project partners, which include its member communities of Newport, Middletown and Portsmouth as well as RIDOT and the Statewide Planning Program.

The AIPC hired the consulting firm of Vanasse Hangen Brustlin, Inc. (VHB) of Providence, RI, through a very competitive selection process, to conduct the study. The consultant and study process will be guided by a Technical Steering Committee (TSC) comprised of federal, state, regional and local agencies and officials. The study will also provide avenues of communication with Aquidneck Island legislators, local elected officials, and all interested community and business organizations. The TSC will provide a forum for community involvement and input into the study.

Q. Who is on the Technical Steering Committee?
A. The TSC is represented by the following communities, agencies, and organizations:

• Aquidneck Island Planning Commission (AIPC)
• Federal Highway Administration (FHWA)
• Newport, Middletown, and Portsmouth
• Rhode Island Department of Transportation (RIDOT)
• Rhode Island Department of Administration Statewide Planning Program (SPP)
• Rhode Island Public Transit Authority (RIPTA)
• Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (RIDEM)
• Rhode Island Turnpike and Bridge Authority (RITBA)
• Naval Station Newport
• Newport County Chamber of Commerce
• Newport County Convention and Visitor’s Bureau
• Rhode Island Sierra Club

Q. How can the public get involved?
A. There are numerous opportunities for the public to become involved in the study process. There will be a total of four (4) Public Workshops throughout the study process that will be advertised on the study website and in the local media. At any time during the project, the public can ask questions, post comments or participate directly in an online survey on this project website.

Q. What about public interest groups and stakeholders?
A. Key stakeholders will be interviewed as part of the study process, including but not limited to the following individuals, entities, and organizations:

• Municipal planners/engineers
• Municipal police chiefs or traffic/safety officers
• State police
• Old Colony Railroad
• Newport Dinner Train
• Sierra Club
• Grow Smart RI
• AARP
• Elected officials
• Elderly and ADA advocacy groups
• Bicycle groups

Q. When is the next public workshop/meeting?
A. The first public workshop was held on September 29, 2009 at the Middletown Town Hall Council Chamber. The second workshop is scheduled for April 29, 2010 from 6 pm to 9 pm at the CCRI Campus Auditorium in Newport, with an informal Open House with Study Team Members from 4 pm to 6 pm. There will be two additional workshops for public participation at key intervals in the study.

Q. What are the major study tasks?
A. The Aquidneck Island Transportation Study is organized into six (6) tasks:

Task 1 – Outreach and Community Vision: Public Involvement and Participation. Task 1 will establish the framework for the study – goals, objectives, evaluation/screening criteria, and includes Public Participation throughout the study.

Task 2 – Technical Investigation (Data Assembly and Analysis): Task 2 includes the collection of pertinent data on existing and proposed transportation and development conditions including integrated non-automobile transportation modes. Priority will be given to the data needed for consideration, evaluation and recommendations for the Burma Road/Defense Highway corridor including a physical condition analysis of Burma Road.

Task 3 – Transportation Improvement Alternative & Integrated Scenarios: Task 3 involves the development of transportation alternatives (including a no-build scenario) suitable for future implementation that meet the stated study goals and objectives.

Task 4 – Evaluation of Alternative Transportation Improvements & Integrated Scenarios: Task 4 includes the detailed evaluation of transportation improvement alternatives and integrated land use scenarios for the future years of 2020 and 2030.

Task 5 – Transportation Improvement Plan: Task 5 includes the development of a Transportation Improvement Plan that is a compilation of recommendations resulting from the analysis and community input.

Task 6 – Plan Implementation: Task 6 involves developing an implementation plan for the recommended Transportation Improvement Plan.

Q. When will the study be completed?
A. The study period is approximately 24 months, with a scheduled completion of April 2011, however, fast-tracked recommendations will emerge prior to the completion date. View Study Schedule

Q. What is the next step in the process?
A. The study began in May 2009. The consultant is in the process of completing an assessment of existing and future conditions, finalizing evaluation criteria, and developing preliminary alternatives.

The second Public Workshop is scheduled for April 29, 2010 from 6 pm to 9 pm at the CCRI Campus in Newport, with an informal Open House with Study Team Members from 4 pm to 6 pm. View Study Meetings