Fresh Fridays: Transportation and Equitable Communities

On Friday, March 1, panelists for “Fresh Fridays” discussed the intersection of transportation and equitable communities.

The session’s panelists included:

Liza Burkin, Lead Organizer, Providence Streets Coalition
Allyson McCalla, Director of Operations, Bike Newport, and Lead Partner, Newport HEZ Transportation Working Group
John Flaherty, Deputy Director, Grow Smart RI
Lucy Berman, Associate Director of Advocacy and Organizing, ONE Central Providence (ONE|NB)

Each panelist brought a unique perspective to the table, shedding light on the challenges and solutions related to mobility justice, the fiscal crisis facing RIPTA, Rhode Island’s public transit system, the importance of transit-oriented development, and the efforts to create inclusive, accessible transportation options for all community members. Grace Evans Pedanou, Chief of Staff of ONE|NB, moderated the discussion. Below is a summary of the discussion. Please watch the video above for all the details.

Liza Burkin, lead organizer of the Providence Streets Coalition, explained the concept of mobility justice, which was about ensuring that people’s identity and background did not limit their access to transportation options.

She shared a video and some links about the concept of mobility justice and the Save RIPTA campaign, which is the top priority of the coalition right now, as the public transit system is facing a fiscal crisis and possible service cuts.

The Save RIPTA campaign is fighting for a $78 million budget appropriation, she said, which would cover the $8 million deficit, support the drivers with a living wage and CDL training, and expand the service with more hours, routes, and frequency.

Burkin explained how RIPTA cuts this would also affect school attendance, especially for Providence students who rely on the bus to get to school. She said that the governor’s budget proposal does not address this gap between the importance of school attendance and the lack of funding for RIPTA.

She also gave an example of how public transit is not competitive with driving in terms of trip time, and how that affects her mobility choices and those of others who do not have other options. She compared mobility choices to a toolbox, and said that driving is the most expensive, harmful, and destructive tool, and that other tools, such as walking, biking, scooting, wheeling, and taking the bus, train, or ferry, are not well-developed or available.

Burkin said that the coalition and its partners are working to develop those tools and make them more competitive with driving, and to rebalance the system so that it is more equitable, sustainable, and livable. She added that she is also working to increase Spanish outreach, and that the CDL test being only in English is a huge barrier and something that needs to be changed.

John Flaherty from Grow Smart RI highlighted the importance of transportation for access to work, school, health care, food, and “all of life’s essentials.” He expressed his frustration with the lack of funding and support for RIPTA and the transit master plan. He pointed out that 10% of the state’s population does not have a car, and that the transit master plan is a way to help the state reduce its carbon emissions and offer better transit options for people.

“It’s public health.” he said. “The extent to which people can walk in their community, or bike safely and confidently. Every people who is a transit rider is a pedestrian as well. So it’s leading a more active lifestyle, which is critical for public health. So it’s everything.”

Flaherty advocated for transit-oriented development, which is to promote denser and cheaper housing development in areas where there is transit access, and gave an example of a project in Pawtucket that did that with less parking requirements, which saved money and reduced car dependence. He said that transit oriented development is not anti-car, but pro-choice, and that it benefits the state and the people. He also said that most trips are short and could be done by walking, biking, or taking transit, if the infrastructure and service were better.

Allyson McCalla is the director of operations at Bike Newport, the lead facilitator for Newport Health Equity Zones Transportation Working Group, and the founder of the first chapter of Black Girls Do Bike in Rhode Island.

She shared one of their successes, which was starting the first bus to the beach from Newport to North End, started on Juneteenth 2021, to give access to the water for families who don’t have cars and live in housing developments. She said they collaborated with RIPTA to design the route and to make it happen. More stops were eventually added to allow people to connect to mental health services, daycare, and the Department of Human Services. Now they are worried, she said, because the bus to the beach route is slated for possible removal.

McCalla said they are working to get more supporters and demonstrate the need for these services.

She also talked about their goal of creating “cities of connectivity,” and mentioned that Newport has its first shared-use path, which is for non-motorized users.

She said they are concerned about the fair connectivity from Newport to North End to the South end, and the role of the Health Equity zone in solving that. She encouraged individuals to use their voice and be part of the change, and suggested some ways to get involved, such as attending local government meetings, reaching out to her at Bike Newport, finding their local bicycle and pedestrian commission, or joining their local Health Equity zone.

Lucy Berman is Associate Director of Advocacy & Organizing for ONE Central Providence at ONE|NB which works with Central Providence Opportunities: A Health Equity Zone on social determinants of health, such as health, housing, employment, business development, education, and community power. She said that transportation was a key “common-thread” issue that has emerged in every working group, and that they have discussed transportation equity from different angles, such as work, school, and health.

“It’s been fascinating to be able to have so many conversations about transportation equity from so many different angles from the perspective of having to be able to get to work on time and therefore have job stability,” Berman said. “We know a lot of young people in Central Providence rely on public transportation to get to school and we also know that Providence has really high rates of chronic absenteeism. So when you’re talking about kids being able to get a quality education, you’re also talking about transportation.“

Berman shared an example of how transportation was important for the residents of Central Providence, who took part in a $1 million participatory budgeting process and two of the eight projects voted in had to do with transportation: improving bus stops and distributing and educating people on bike repair.

“That says a lot,” she said. “When people were asked ‘what would you spend your money on to make your community healthier and safer?’ People said safe transportation.”

Later in the discussion, Berman said that they were trying to gather and amplify the stories of people who are affected by transportation issues and link them with local nonprofits and legislators, to advocate for more funding and access to public transportation.

Website Links shared in the chat during Fresh Fridays:

Previous Fresh Fridays Sessions:

Fresh Fridays: Transportation and Equitable Communities

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