Department of Transportation | Rhode Island Public Radio

DOT Working To Shift Public Perceptions Of Inefficiency, Poor Transparency

By Sophie McKibben • May 3, 2016

The Rhode Island Department of Transportation is working to be more transparent, and shrug off a public perception that it’s mired in inefficiency. The agency released its quarterly report Monday.

Director Peter Alviti pointed to efforts including new signage at DOT projects, which signal if they’re running on time and on budget. If all’s well, the sign will be green. If not, it will be yellow or red, depending on the state of the project.

Reports Of Crashes, Spinouts As RI Drivers Say Hello To Winter

By John Bender • Dec 29, 2015

The state department of transportation is clearing spin-outs and crashes across the state as a result of the slippery driving conditions. DOT workers said things have been relatively quiet DOT officials expect more accidents, as snows turn to sleet, and more motorists hit the roads.

Stockpiled With Sand And Salt, RI DOT Ready For Winter Weather

By John Bender • Dec 29, 2015

The state Department of Transportation is ready for the first snow of the season. The agency will be deploying dozens of trucks across the state Monday and Tuesday.

DOT officials say more than one-hundred sand-and-salt trucks are at the ready for the expected one to three inches of snow. The trucks haven’t seen much use this season, with temperatures reaching above sixty degrees earlier this month.

RI DOT Negotiating With Justice Department Over Years Of Environmental Damage from Highway Runoff

By Ian Donnis • Sep 30, 2015

The state Department of Transportation is negotiating a possible consent decree with the US Justice Department due to environmental damage caused by years of inadequately monitored runoff on highways around the state.

State Recieves $1M In Federal Funding For Bridge Repair

By John Bender • Sep 28, 2015

Rhode Island is getting one-million dollars to help repair the Park Avenue Bridge in Cranston.The bridge was closed for several weeks this summer.

The money will also help pay for the eventual replacement of the century old bridge. The span was shut for several weeks in June after inspectors deemed it structurally deficient.

Some wondered if the closure was politically motivated. The bridge is close to House Speaker Nicholas Mattiello’s law office. The speaker didn’t push to take up a statehouse proposal for infrastructure repair last session.

State Officials Tour Obsolete Bridge In Narragansett

By Ambar Espinoza • Jul 18, 2014

Photo Courtesy of Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse

This morning Gov. Lincoln Chafee and a few members of the Rhode Island delegation toured a bridge project in Narragansett. The tour showcased important infrastructure repairs the state may have to delay.

The Great Island Bridge is the only connection between the Port of Galilee in Narragansett and Great Island. It’s also an important part of the community’s emergency evacuation route.

Federal Funding For RI Transportation Projects May Soon Dry Up

By Rachel Bloom • Jul 4, 2014

The Federal Highway Trust Fund is struggling to stay afloat in the face of dwindling funds and partisan gridlock in Washington. That means the federal government will delay reimbursing Rhode Island and other states for transportation projects starting August 1st.

U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx said states will face a 28 percent drop in federal funding for road repairs, maintenance, and infrastructure developments. Foxx met with the Rhode Island congressional delegation to discuss the challenge, and didn't mince words when he spoke at the Statehouse.

The Bottom Line: RI Transportation Funding Faces An Uncertain Future

By Dave Fallon & Mark Murphy • Nov 8, 2013

Providence Business News Editor Mark Murphy joins Rhode Island Public Radio's Dave Fallon for a weekly business segment we're calling "The Bottom Line." Each Friday they look at business news and themes that affect local business and the public.

This week Dave and Mark talk with Department of Transportation Director Michael Lewis. They not only discuss why ridership is light on the commuter rail line south of Providence. Director Lewis also talks about the federal highway trust that’s expected to run dry by next year. It’s the state’s only source of transportation funding.

AAA Study Finds Alarming Rates Of Drowsy Driving

By Flo Jonic • Nov 5, 2013

Triple A is out with a study that should be a wake-up call for those who drive while drowsy. The problem of sleepy driving is more prevalent than you might realize.

A study on sleepy driving commissioned by Triple ‘A’ finds that 28 percent of motorists reported being so tired in the past month they had a hard time keeping their eyes open. Motorists between the ages of 19 and 24 were the most likely to report driving drowsy. Elderly motorists and those between the ages of 16 and 18 were least likely to drive drowsy.

New Life For Old Train Tunnel May Be in the Works

By Catherine Welch • Sep 23, 2013

Gov. Lincoln Chafee and the head of the Rhode Island Department of Transportation are planning to inspect an abandoned train tunnel in Providence to see how it could be used in the future. The tunnel was built in 1906 connecting the Seekonk River to the Providence River.

Gov. Chafee said he’d like to see if it could be opened and used for RIPTA buses. DOT director Michael Lewis said there are no firm plans for the old tunnel and the point of Thursday’s inspection is to see if it’s structurally sound.

Rhode Island's Highway System Among the Worst in the Country

By Flo Jonic • Jul 3, 2013

Rhode Island has one of the highest rates of spending per mile on its roads and bridges. Yet a new report says our highway system is the second worst in the country. The 20th annual Highway Report was published by the Reason Foundation, a Libertarian think tank.

Rhode Island’s roads and bridges are ranked 49th in the nation – with one being the best, according to the Reason Foundation. Only Alaska has a worse highway system than the Ocean State, the group found.

Cliff Walk Repairs Draw Surfer Ire

By Bradley Campbell • Apr 10, 2013

The Newport City Council will be reviewing a plan at Wednesday's meeting to rebuild the famed Cliff Walk damaged last year by Superstorm Sandy. Many in the town are concerned about how a proposed plan could alter the ocean waves that give the historic Breakers mansion its name.