RIPTA To Hold Public Meeting On Restoration Of Bus Services To Tiverton

The Rhode Island Public Transit Authority (RIPTA) is considering reinstating transit services to Tiverton and is asking the public to weigh in on how to effectively serve the community.

A public meeting will be held on Monday, March 18 from 7 - 8:30 p.m. at the Tiverton Town Hall, 343 Highland Road to discuss transit options for Tiverton and Little Compton.

RIPTA suspended services to the Tiverton-Little Compton area in 2008 just before weight restrictions were imposed on the Sakonnet River Bridge and since the opening of the new bridge, no services have yet been restored.

Prior to the imposition of the weight limit, RIPTA provided service to Providence via the Fish Road park and ride. It also operated a Flex zone that covered portions of Tiverton, Bristol and Portsmouth, but this service route was suspended due to budget challenges and very low ridership.

requesting the restoration of bus service to the Tiverton area now that the Sakonnet River Bridge is fully operational.

“My constituents need access to public transportation, as any other city or town in Rhode Island,” the representative wrote to the RIPTA chairman and Warwick Mayor Scott Avedisian this week. “We have been paying and continue to pay our share of the gas tax through which [RIPTA] is funded. We expect our fair share of access to public transportation as afforded elsewhere.”

How would you plot RIPTA services to most benefit Tiverton-Little Compton residents?