The Town Council heard a proposal from Rhode Island Public Transit Authority on the concept of bringing bus service to Block Island. As First Warden Andre Boudreau said, the island is “one of a very few places in Rhode Island without affordable public transportation.”
RIPTA CEO Scott Avedisian and Principal Scheduler Edward Brown joined the council meeting on March 16 via Zoom to make the presentation. Brown explained that the goals of the program would be to improve safety, reduce road congestion, reduce the number of vehicles on the road, and improve options and access for visitors. Mentioning that the idea of a bus or shuttle service is consistent with the 2016 Comprehensive Plan, Brown said RIPTA wants to provide a pilot service in the summer of 2022 to see how the system would work.
RIPTA’s plan would include two vehicles and a route that could include the harbors, beach, airport, and lighthouses. He said the final route would have to be determined when a vehicle was actually brought to the island. The fares would be similar to mainland bus fares, which is $2 per ride with a $6 day pass. Avedisian said that RIPTA would not charge
