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Rhode Island

‘Status quo roadmap’: Critics say new RI transportation plan fails climate, transit goals

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2 months ago

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‘Status quo roadmap’: Critics say new RI transportation plan fails climate, transit goals


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  • Attorney General Peter Neronha wrote that the transportation plan “fails to take a forward-looking approach to achieving the state’s long-term goals.”
  • Of the $11.5 billion in the plan, 76% would go to roads and bridges.
  • The plan, which is required for federal funding, was approved on a 18-1 vote.

Rhode Island planners have approved a new version of the state’s 10-year transportation funding plan over objections that it is too focused on automobiles and will not do enough to meet the state’s climate goals.

The State Transportation Improvement Plan for 2026-2025 lays out $11.5 billion worth of spending over that period, including construction, maintenance, highways, streets, sidewalks, bridges, buses and ferries.

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It was approved by the State Planning Council 18-1 on Thursday, Sept. 11, with only Scott Wolf of Grow Smart RI opposed. The Planning Council includes many state employees, including members of Gov. Dan McKee’s Cabinet.

But outside the Planning Council members, there were loud objections to the plan.

AG: Plan fails to address targets set by Act on Climate

Attorney General Peter Neronha wrote to the Planning Council saying the transportation plan “fails to take a forward-looking approach to achieving the state’s long-term goals, and falls far short of meaningfully furthering compliance with the Act on Climate.”

The Act on Climate requires the state to reduce greenhouse gas emissions 45% by 2030 (from 1990 levels) and achieve net zero emissions by 2050 or be subject to legal action.

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It is not clear how close Rhode Island is to being on track to meet its Act on Climate goals, but President Donald Trump’s orders to halt incentives for electric vehicles and carbon-free power projects have created new challenges.

“While the importance of safely maintained roads and improved roads and bridges throughout the state cannot be stressed enough, steps should also be taken to further investments that expand public options, promote mode shift away from single vehicle travel and reduce emissions,” Neronha wrote.

Federal law requires all states to have an approved plan, by the start of October, for the next four years of transportation spending, and later years of the plan are more tentative.

Criticism of RIPTA service cuts

In explaining why he would vote against the plan, Wolf said that “although there are some excellent projects, looking at this as a whole … we think this [plan] is mostly a status quo roadmap.

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“At a time that for multiple compelling reasons we believe we need to move in a more transit and bike and pedestrian friendly direction,” Wolf said. “And instead we’re still facing proposed transit service cutbacks … service cutbacks which could be completely avoided, through a reallocation of 1 tenth of 1% of the current state budget.”

The vote comes after the Rhode Island Public Transit Authority earlier this month approved a reworked spending plan that reduces trip frequency across the statewide bus network to close a budget gap.

The new 10-year plan also includes, at best, modest funding to execute RIPTA’s 2020 Transit Master Plan, including a planned “metro connector” or high frequency and capacity rapid transit line from Central Falls to Warwick. (RIPTA was expected to release the results of a planning study for the corridor in “summer 2025.”)

Meredith Brady, secretary of the Division of Statewide Planning, said if more money was going to be spent on non-highway projects the money would need to be taken from something specific that it is currently budgeted for.

“But given our need to meet this deadline, unless there are specific proposals that we can consider … we would need to have very specific information about what was going to be removed,” she said.

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Of the $11.5 billion in the plan, 76% is ticketed for roads and bridges, 4% for transit and 6% for bicycle and pedestrian projects, which are often incorporated into road projects.

Bright spots in the transportation plan

Despite his big-picture opposition, Wolf said positive projects in the new 10-year plan included the Kingston Station Mobility Hub, Westerly Train Station platform upgrades, Mount Hope Bay Greenway and Wakefield Main Street improvements.

Grow Smart RI is part of a dozen-group coalition, including the Acadia Center, Save RIPTA and the Conservation Law Foundation, that wrote with a series of requests to the Planning Council including:

  • A detailed account of how the state DOT plans to reduce carbon emissions and take steps to reduce driving instead of relying on a transition to electric cars
  • A separate plan section on how the state intends to execute the Transit Master Plan
  • Shift some flexible federal transportation funding toward RIPTA
  • Put funding behind plans to electrify the MBTA’s Providence Line
  • Build dedicated bus lanes on existing highway lanes and include a carpool lane on the new westbound Washington Bridge.



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Rhode Island

RI Lottery Powerball, Lucky For Life winning numbers for Oct. 29, 2025

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15 hours ago

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October 30, 2025

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The Rhode Island Lottery offers multiple draw games for those aiming to win big. Here’s a look at Oct. 29, 2025, results for each game:

Winning Powerball numbers from Oct. 29 drawing

04-24-49-60-65, Powerball: 01, Power Play: 2

Check Powerball payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Lucky For Life numbers from Oct. 29 drawing

03-04-33-36-43, Lucky Ball: 02

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Check Lucky For Life payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Numbers numbers from Oct. 29 drawing

Midday: 3-2-7-5

Evening: 4-7-2-4

Check Numbers payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Wild Money numbers from Oct. 29 drawing

09-10-14-20-25, Extra: 08

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Check Wild Money payouts and previous drawings here.

Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results

Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your prize

  • Prizes less than $600 can be claimed at any Rhode Island Lottery Retailer. Prizes of $600 and above must be claimed at Lottery Headquarters, 1425 Pontiac Ave., Cranston, Rhode Island 02920.
  • Mega Millions and Powerball jackpot winners can decide on cash or annuity payment within 60 days after becoming entitled to the prize. The annuitized prize shall be paid in 30 graduated annual installments.
  • Winners of the Lucky for Life top prize of $1,000 a day for life and second prize of $25,000 a year for life can decide to collect the prize for a minimum of 20 years or take a lump sum cash payment.

When are the Rhode Island Lottery drawings held?

  • Powerball: 10:59 p.m. ET on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
  • Mega Millions: 11:00 p.m. ET on Tuesday and Friday.
  • Lucky for Life: 10:30 p.m. ET daily.
  • Numbers (Midday): 1:30 p.m. ET daily.
  • Numbers (Evening): 7:29 p.m. ET daily.
  • Wild Money: 7:29 p.m. ET on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.

This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Rhode Island editor. You can send feedback using this form.



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Rhode Island

ACLU of RI sues McKee alleging denial of access to regularly used State House rally area | ABC6

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1 day ago

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October 29, 2025

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ACLU of RI sues McKee alleging denial of access to regularly used State House rally area | ABC6


PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WLNE) — Attorneys for the ACLU of Rhode Island have filed a lawsuit against RI Governor Dan McKee, alleging the governor’s office explicitly told state and capitol police to bar protesters from accessing the State House rotunda and upper floors.

The rally was planned to take place in the rotunda an hour before McKee’s January 2025 State of the State address.

The event was to be attended by local groups including Rhode Island Homeless Advocacy Project and by activist Harrison Tuttle.

Tuttle was the President of the now dissolved Rhode Island Black Lives Matter PAC at the time.

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The suit claims that Tuttle and fellow protesters arrived to be told that McKee’s office instructed police from letting them enter.

Tuttle was told by police that he in particular was not allowed to enter the areas, according to the suit.

The suit also claims that other people were allowed to access those areas of the State House.

The suit states that the rotunda is commonly used by protesters, and that its entrance was blocked off by capitol and state police.

A sign accompanied the officers that said the rotunda was reserved from 4:30-10 p.m., and the governor’s office didn’t reserve the area until 4:39 p.m., according to records cited by the ACLU of RI.

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The protesters were directed by police to the “Bell Room” for their event, which is a less visible area in the back of the State House’s first floor, according to the suit.

The ACLU of RI statement reads in part:

In any event, despite being ‘reserved,’ the rotunda was not used for any purpose during that timeframe. The lawsuit argues that the Governor’s reservation of the space and the Capitol and State Police’s actions were undertaken to stifle the protesters’ exercise of their First Amendment rights to freedom of speech and freedom of assembly.

Executive director of the Rhode Island Homeless Advocacy Project Eric Hirsch, a participant in the suit stated:

I’ve been advocating for an end to homelessness in Rhode Island for a long time. I was shocked to see the Rotunda at the Statehouse roped off when I arrived for the People’s State of the State rally. I had attended dozens of rallies there over the years. To make matters worse, we were also prevented from getting anywhere near the Governor’s address. We were confined to a lower floor of the Statehouse. This is unacceptable. We have a right to express our view of the Governor’s policies toward people experiencing homelessness.

ABC6 has reached out to the office of Governor Dan McKee for comment in this matter but has not yet heard back.





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RI GOP asking for resident input for upcoming Washington Bridge oversight hearing | ABC6

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2 days ago

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October 28, 2025

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RI GOP asking for resident input for upcoming Washington Bridge oversight hearing | ABC6


PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WLNE) — Rhode Island Republican leaders are asking for public input ahead of an upcoming oversight hearing on the Washington Bridge forensic report.

The report, recently revealed to have been withheld by Governor Dan McKee at attorneys’ advice, will be the subject of the planned November 13 oversight hearing.

McKee stated that he knew that repairs were needed on the bridge for two years before its December 11, 2023 westbound side closure, but was confident that work was underway.

McKee said that once he was aware the bridge deficiencies were irreparable, he approved the closure.

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Rhode Island House Minority Leader Michael Chippendale said in a statement, in part:

Now that the Speaker and Senate President have committed to ‘a thorough and rigorous examination’ of the Washington Bridge failure and have empowered the Joint Oversight Committee to take testimony under oath, Rhode Islanders deserve answers without delay on this on-going administrative disaster.

Residents can contribute questions to the hearing process via email at rigopcaucus@gmail.com.

 





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