Rhode Island
‘Status quo roadmap’: Critics say new RI transportation plan fails climate, transit goals
Helena Foulkes announces run for governor.
The former CVS Pharmacy executive whose near-miss three years ago and prolific fundraising make her the 2026 favorite in some quarters, officially kicked off her second campaign for governor Tuesday, Sept. 9.
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.
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.
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.
“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.
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.
Saturday, January 10, 2026
Governor Dan McKee PHOTO: GoLocal
It’s a new year, filled with new challenges. The General Assembly is back in session. Rhode Island’s economy is flat at best, and according to the University of Rhode Island economist Leonard Lardaro, the state is in a recession. Rhode Island is also in daily legal conflict with the Trump administration.
Add that the state is trying to recover from a mass shooting at Brown University, which killed two students and wounded nine others.
For Governor Dan McKee, it is a critical time.
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He has announced he is running for reelection—the Democratic primary is just nine months away.
McKee’s poll numbers have plummeted to record lows.
A poll released by the University of New Hampshire in November of 2025 found that in the race for the Democratic nomination for Governor of Rhode Island, 29% of likely Democratic primary voters (N=359) say they would currently vote for former CVS executive Helena Foulkes, 13% would vote for Speaker of the RI House of Representatives Joe Shekarchi, 11% would vote for incumbent Governor Dan McKee, 6% would write in someone else, and 42% are undecided.
Is the 74-year-old McKee criss-crossing the state to reassure Rhode Islanders, listening to residents’ ideas, and sharing his vision for the state in his second term?
GoLocal offers a recap of the McKees’ public schedule for the first ten days of the month.
SATURDAY, JANUARY 10 & SUNDAY, JANUARY 11, 2026
No public events.
FRIDAY, JANUARY 9, 2026
No public events.
THURSDAY, JANUARY 8, 2026
2:00 PM
Governor McKee will deliver remarks at the Rhode Island Interfaith Coalition to Reduce Poverty’s 18th Annual Interfaith Poverty Vigil.
LOCATION:
RI State House Rotunda
82 Smith Street
Providence, RI
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 7, 2026
No public events.
TUESDAY, JANUARY 6, 2026
No public events.
MONDAY, JANUARY 5, 2026
9:30 AM
Governor McKee will deliver remarks at a groundbreaking ceremony for a new community learning center at the Cross’ Mills Public Library.
LOCATION:
Cross’ Mills Public Library
4417 Old Post Road
Charlestown, RI
SATURDAY, JANUARY 3 & SUNDAY, JANUARY 4, 2026
No public events.
FRIDAY, JANUARY 2, 2026
11:00 AM
Governor McKee will join members of Rhode Island’s Congressional Delegation and local and state leaders for a rally hosted by Climate Action RI, Climate Jobs RI, and the AFL-CIO in support of Revolution Wind and other offshore wind projects.
LOCATION:
CIC Providence
225 Dyer Street
Providence, RI
THURSDAY, JANUARY 1, 2026
No public events.
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Rhode Island
GoLocalProv | Politics | Providence On Sunday Is One of the Sites for a National Protest Against ICE
Saturday, January 10, 2026
Protest in Providence in June against ICE PHOTO: GoLocal
Organizers in Rhode Island and across the country are mobilizing against ICE after a pair of shootings in the past few days.
Organizers locally said, “Rhode Islanders will gather on Sunday to honor the life lost, make visible the human cost of ICE’s actions, and demand that state and federal leaders reject local contracts with ICE, take every action possible to stop ICE from operating in Rhode Island, and hold ICE agents accountable when they break the law.”
The RI event begins at 2 PM at the State House on Sunday.
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Nationally, it was a announced on Friday that, “A broad national coalition, including Indivisible, MoveOn Civic Action, the American Civil Liberties Union, Voto Latino, United We Dream, 50501, the Disappeared in America Campaign of the Not Above the Law coalition, and partner organizations across the country, is calling for a coordinated ICE Out For Good Weekend of Action.
“The mobilization comes in response to the escalation of ICE violence in our communities, the killing of Renee Nicole Good, a 37-year-old wife and mother of three, and the months-long pattern of unchecked violence and abuse in marginalized communities across America. Across the country, communities will gather in nonviolent, lawful, and community-led actions to honor the life lost, demand accountability, and make visible the human cost of ICE’s actions,” said organizers.
Organizers added, “Good and the Portland victims are part of a broader and deeply alarming pattern of unchecked violence and abuse by federal immigration enforcement agencies. In September, ICE reportedly shot and killed Silverio Villegas González, a father and cook from Mexico living in Chicago. In 2025 alone, more than 30 people have reportedly died in ICE detention.”
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Rhode Island
Rhode Island General Assembly Begins 2026 Session With Focus on Affordability – Newport Buzz
PROVIDENCE — Rhode Island lawmakers opened the 2026 legislative session this week with a focus on health care affordability, housing costs and economic stability, as leaders in both chambers warned of uncertainty tied to federal budget changes.
House Speaker K. Joseph Shekarchi outlined House priorities centered on expanding access to health care while lowering costs, calling it the chamber’s top agenda item for the year. He also said lawmakers will continue addressing housing shortages and rising home energy costs, emphasizing the need for community input as policy decisions move forward.
In the Senate, President Valarie J. Lawson convened the chamber by urging bipartisan cooperation and announcing plans to introduce legislation supporting education, small businesses and the state’s health care system. Stabilizing hospitals and strengthening the primary care workforce were identified as key goals.
Both chambers paused to honor victims of the Dec. 13 shooting at Brown University, passing resolutions recognizing the victims and commending first responders. Lawmakers also observed a moment of silence.
New legislation introduced by Rep. Joseph M. McNamara would require the Department of Education to adopt a zero-tolerance hazing policy in partnership with the Rhode Island Interscholastic League, mandating clear and consistent discipline statewide.
Meanwhile, Reps. David Morales and Jennifer Stewart called on Gov. Dan McKee to fully fund public libraries in the upcoming state budget.
Speaker Shekarchi also announced several committee leadership changes, appointing Rep. Carol Hagan McEntee as chairwoman of the House Judiciary Committee and Rep. Mary Ann Shallcross Smith as chairwoman of the House Small Business Committee.
The week also marked the first Senate session for Sen. Stefano V. Famiglietti, who received committee assignments following his election to fill a vacant seat.
Legislative leaders capped the week by joining faith leaders at the 18th annual Rhode Island Interfaith Poverty Vigil at the State House, calling attention to legislation aimed at reducing poverty statewide.
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