Federal officials have announced a $2 million grant aimed at improving community connectivity and pedestrian safety in Providence’s urban core. The funding, provided through the U.S. Department of Transportation’s (USDOT) Reconnecting Communities Pilot (RCP) Grant Program, will support a study for multimodal transit improvements and new commuter connections in the city.

The initiative, led by the Rhode Island Department of Transportation (RIDOT), focuses on the “Connect Four: Bridging Providence’s Urban Core” project. The study will gather community input and analyze how to reunite neighborhoods divided by infrastructure projects, such as the construction of Interstate 95 (I-95) and Rhode Island Route 10 (RI-10).

“This new $2 million grant will help make roads safer, revitalize neighborhoods, and promote healthy and connected communities,” said U.S. Senator Jack Reed. “RIDOT can use this federal grant to help remove roadblocks to transit access, improve mobility, and reduce traffic jams and pollution.”

The grant, made possible by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, will also prioritize pedestrian and cyclist safety while addressing outdated infrastructure. “This latest round of federal funding will lay the groundwork to create new connections between Providence neighborhoods and make getting around our capital city easier and more efficient,” said Senator Sheldon Whitehouse.

Revitalizing Neighborhoods and Infrastructure

The project will evaluate the redesign of four key bridges spanning I-95 and RI-10 along Atwells Avenue, Dean Street, Washington Street, and Westminster Street. These bridges, which are slated for replacement under RIDOT’s 10-year State Transportation Improvement Program, will be reimagined with a “complete streets” approach to accommodate future needs.

“We will put these funds to work right away, incorporating a complete streets design for these new bridge projects to support the current and future needs of residents and visitors in Providence,” said RIDOT Director Peter Alviti, Jr.

RIDOT will also identify unnecessary ramp infrastructure for removal, creating opportunities for new development in areas previously occupied by highway ramps.

Restoring Communities

The funding underscores efforts to address historic transportation decisions that disproportionately affected underserved neighborhoods.

“In Providence, working-class, majority-minority neighborhoods have been divided since the construction of the I-95 and RI-10 highways. With this $2 million federal investment, our delegation is accelerating efforts to restore communities through thoughtful growth,” said Senator Reed.

The RCP program, established under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, supports projects that improve access to jobs, education, health care, and recreation in communities historically divided by infrastructure.

Economic and Community Benefits

The study is expected to lay the groundwork for enhanced public transit options and economic growth. “American households spend nearly 16 percent of their income on transportation, which can be a significant burden for low-income families,” RIDOT noted, emphasizing the broader economic implications of improved transit infrastructure.

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The charter school movement has mostly flown under the radar in Rhode Island politics in recent years, and that’s just how they like it. But 2025 could be an interesting year as one mayoral academy seeks to make a big change, other schools consider unionizing, and a potential new school goes back to the drawing board.

Here’s a look at the lay of the land.

There are two kinds of charter schools in Rhode Island: Most are considered independents, but some are mayoral academies, which require a municipal chief executive to serve as chair of the board. Mayoral academies were spearheaded by Governor Dan McKee when he was mayor of Cumberland, and they have historically faced stronger push back from teachers’ unions because some of them are part of larger national or regional networks of charter schools (like Achievement First).

RISE Prep, a 3-star mayoral academy that admits students from Woonsocket, North Smithfield, and Burrillville, has been given the go-ahead to switch from a mayoral academy to an independent school. In its proposal, the school said the change “will mitigate instability and unpredictability,” both financially and politically. 

We know that teachers at Highlander Charter School and Paul Cuffee voted to unionize in 2024, and the state’s two teachers’ unions are engaged in conversations with other charter school teachers about joining, too. One big question is whether the incoming Trump administration will seek to roll back some of the rules set by President Joe Biden’s administration that made it easier to unionize. 

The other key question is what kind of contracts the teachers at Highlander and Cuffee will get during negotiations this year. Highlander joined the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 2323, and Cuffee’s teachers are now members of the Rhode Island Federation of Teachers and Health Professionals. If the unions can win favorable terms for their new members, other charter schools could follow.

The New England Institute of Technology was hoping to open a high school focused on career and technical education in September, but it faced resistance from organized labor and decided to pump the brakes on the proposal. The idea still has support at both the university and from Education Commissioner Angélica Infante-Green, but it could be difficult to open a new charter school that is opposed by labor in 2026 because it’s an election year.

This story first appeared in Rhode Map, our free newsletter about Rhode Island that also contains information about local events, links to interesting stories, and more. If you’d like to receive it via e-mail Monday through Friday, you can sign up here.

Dan McGowan can be reached at dan.mcgowan@globe.com. Follow him @danmcgowan.

Southern New England are expecting to see wind chills in the minus in some areas with a possible snowstorm on the horizon.

According to the National Weather Service, wind chills from 8 below to 8 above will be felt across Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Connecticut overnight into Wednesday morning.

Dry, windy & very cold conditions tonight with low temps dropping into the teens to near 20.

Dress in layers if headed out early Wednesday morning.

There is also lots of talk about a possible winter storm this weekend.

NWS states that right now we are favoring a more offshore track, but we can’t completely rule out a closer pass with more of an impact in southern New England.

The forecast:

Tonight

Clear, with a low around 17. West wind around 15 mph.

Wednesday

Sunny, with a high near 25. Breezy, with a west wind 15 to 21 mph, with gusts as high as 36 mph.

Wednesday Night

Mostly cloudy, with a low around 15. West wind 14 to 18 mph.

Thursday

Mostly sunny, with a high near 31. Northwest wind 15 to 17 mph, with gusts as high as 31 mph.

Thursday Night

Mostly clear, with a low around 22. Northwest wind 14 to 18 mph.

Friday

Sunny, with a high near 38. Northwest wind 7 to 13 mph.

Friday Night

Mostly cloudy, with a low around 22. Northwest wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.

Saturday

Snow likely, mainly between noon and 3pm. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 35. Calm wind becoming northwest 5 to 7 mph in the morning. Chance of precipitation is 70%.

Saturday Night

A chance of snow before 11pm. Partly cloudy, with a low around 22. Northwest wind around 7 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%.