City of East Providence Director of Planning & Economic Development Keith Brynes joined us for coffee at Borealis Coffee Company. He spoke about the city’s efforts to embody the National Main Street Center’s approach to corridor revitalization and their interest in Grow Smart RI’s effort to launch a statewide Main Street coordinating program.
On the ride back to Providence, we talked about what makes transit a more attractive and viable option for more people, and how investments in transit drive economic development, help accelerate housing production efficiently along corridors with frequent service, and how increased transit use helps with our climate. We also discussed how other states and metro regions fund improvements, along with some innovative ideas for Rhode Island.
”I believe improving public transit has the potential to revitalize Main Streets across the state, accelerate housing production, and allow us to begin addressing the climate crisis. Riding the 33 line out to Riverside and meeting folks like Sharon and Arthur, who depend on RIPTA for transit, was a great experience and a reminder of how strong public transit builds connected communities!
-- Sabina Matos
