criesduringsex t1_itv2ic6 wrote
Kingston Station is ten miles down the tracks from Wickford, and is nearly adjacent to URI, a university with 18,000 students. But instead of just running the trains there, to a station that already exists, linking the state's largest university with its largest city, they spent tens of millions of dollars on a train to a giant parking lot in the middle of nowhere.
iandavid t1_itv962k wrote
For that matter, there were historically train stations in Auburn (Cranston), Apponaug (Warwick), and East Greenwich – all of which are still relatively dense, walkable areas that could easily support commuter service. But RIDOT opted to leapfrog all those communities in favor of building a station out in the woods of North Kingstown. It shows they wouldn’t understand good transportation policy even if it was barreling down on them at 79mph, horns blaring.
TheSausageFattener t1_itvy5fz wrote
Man don’t forget TF Green. That station is only good if you’re trying to get to the airport.
iandavid t1_itw17o6 wrote
What’s interesting about TF Green station is that it’s just south of the old Hillsgrove station. So it almost counts as restoring a useful commuter station, except that being close to the airport meant that there was never much density there to begin with.
316714407 t1_itwqji5 wrote
Hi, I grew up and still currently live in the Auburn neighborhood in Cranston and this is my first time hearing of the train station that existed here. That is actually really cool, I’m assuming on Rolfe Square?
iandavid t1_itwrc8m wrote
It was further east of Rolfe Square but still off Park Ave, on a street that still bears the name “Station Street”. More info and photos on this page: https://sites.google.com/site/rhodeislandrailroads/home/east-providence-south/east-providence-north/pwb-route/main-line
316714407 t1_itwumr6 wrote
Ah that would make sense, since the tracks are still there 😂.
laterbacon t1_itv5xfy wrote
Oh no that would have made too much sense, especially considering that URI also has a big presence in Providence.
But hey, at least I can get to Walmart and Staples 3 times a day
[deleted] t1_itvx4nd wrote
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FAYCSB t1_itvro90 wrote
As someone who lived at URI when I commuted to Boston from WJ, this would have been awesome. That said, Wickford is closer to more major roads (4 and 95) and the further south you go the less likely you are to find people to do the crazy commute.
misterspokes t1_itvbm0g wrote
There's freight lines to Quonset they could have used, there were also speculative plans to try to route to Newport using existing rail easement. They dicked this hard in so many ways.
ToadScoper OP t1_itvsb08 wrote
Restoring passenger rail between Providence and Worcester (potentially to even Worcester) via the P&W line would also be lucrative. The only time RI DOT ever considered forming a passenger rail authority is when it unsubsidized MBTA providence service in the 70s; the state wanted its own regional trains which would have gone as far as Bristol via the former Providence, Warren, and Bristol line (that line is now the east bay bike path)
RecoillessRifle t1_iu8xw3l wrote
Boston Surface Railroad was supposed to do this but it’s hasn’t gone anywhere despite the Providence and Worcester Railroad being interested.
blueplasticgirl t1_itvqt6a wrote
Legit. While doing construction on Broadway recently, they just dug up some rails by the Island Liquors that used to be used for street cars. 😭
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