(l-r) Rep. James Langevin, RIPTA CEO Scott Avedisian, Commerce Sec. Stefan Pryor, Pawtucket Mayor Don Grebien, U.S. Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, RIDOT Director Peter Alviti, Central Falls Mayor James Diossa, Governor Gina Raimondo, Rep. David Cicilline, and US Sen. Jack Reed break ground on the new rail station and bus hub.
Pawtucket, RI – Groundbreaking ceremonies were held recently for the new Pawtucket-Central Falls Commuter Rail Station and Bus Hub.The new intermodal transit center will allow riders to switch modes easily between commuter rail and RIPTA’s statewide bus network.
When complete, the commuter rail stop will join three other stations (Providence, T.F. Green, and Wickford Junction) serviced by the MBTA, with numerous stops in Massachusetts en route to South Station in Boston.
The project also includes construction of a Transit Emphasis Corridor, which will create dedicated bus lanes and bike lanes along Exchange Street and Goff Avenue, linking the new transit facility to the heart of Downtown Pawtucket.
Construction will be led by Barletta Heavy Division, Inc. The contractor will build the new bus hub simultaneously.
Construction will begin immediately and continue for three years, reaching substantial completion in late 2021. The time frame accommodates limited construction time periods along Amtrak’s busy rail corridor, with much of the work taking place during overnight hours when trains are not running.
The $47 million budget includes funding from a $13.1 million grant through the federal Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) program and $7 million from the Federal Transit Administration to RIPTA for the bus hub component. Additional federal funds amount to $18 million, state funds $5.9 million, and the communities of Pawtucket and Central Falls are also providing funding to the project, jointly contributing $3 million.
RIDOT expects that service would begin in summer 2022. The bus hub component is scheduled to open by the end of 2020. This would relocate RIPTA’s bus hub from its current location on Roosevelt Avenue in Pawtucket.
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Originally envisioned as two separate projects, RIDOT, with RIPTA, included construction for both modes of travel in its request for proposals (RFP).
Ridership studies show this station will attract an estimated 520 daily boardings.
The commuter rail station will be located near the intersections of Pine Street and Goff Avenue in Pawtucket, and act as a catalyst for increased transit-oriented economic development given its proximity to the 150-acre Conant Thread District. It will include dedicated platforms for northbound and southbound service, connected by a pedestrian bridge overpass, elevators, ramps and stairs.
