Bike Newport Questions Green & Complete Streets Adherence

Thanks to Newport City Council for consistently recognizing road safety and bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure as priorities. The City has codified these priorities in the Comprehensive Land Use Plan, the Newport Transportation Master Plan, and the Green and Complete Streets Ordinance. The Council has further solidified its support in the creation of a Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Commission, adoption of the Ride Island Bicycle Plan, submission for advanced ranking as a Bicycle Friendly Community, and adoption of the Vision Zero: Safe Streets for All Safety Action Plan. 

Yet, with all of these decisions in place, we are not seeing the related actions. The Green and Complete Streets ordinance provides that “Projects involving the creation of new streets and public rights of way or improvement to existing streets and public rights of way” shall consider all road users, including bicycles and pedestrians. The ordinance provides for standards, exceptions, implementation, and annual reporting, with details of what the annual report will include.

Since the ordinance was passed, implementation has not taken place, and numerous streets are regularly improved without the requisite consideration of all road users. 

Recent paving improvements to Wellington Avenue, the primary route for people biking to Fort Adams and the Ocean Loop, include no indication, accommodation, or awareness for people on bicycles. Though there is ample space for improvements, the City informed us that there was no funding – not even for painted markings or lanes. We were not informed of the process to approve this exception.

Improvements are currently underway on Kay Street, a key route for motorists, pedestrians and bicyclists. Will the improvements address safety for bicyclists and pedestrians as the Green and Complete Streets Ordinance dictates? 

The current draft of the 2026 budget includes $500,000 earmarked for much-needed sidewalks and bike lanes on Narragansett Avenue. This project is the only funding in the budget toward implementation of bike/ped priorities set in “Keep Newport Moving” – the Newport Transportation Master Plan. What about sidewalks on Harrison, Annandale, Rhode Island Avenue, and countless other streets where walkers share pavement with cars? What about creation and maintenance of bike lanes or shared lane marks related to roadway maintenance and improvements? What about adherence to the Green and Complete Streets ordinance?

In the context of the annual budget hearings, the Board of Directors of Bike Newport has posed these questions to the City Council:         

• What is the process for reviewing the City’s road improvement projects for adherence to the Green and Complete Streets Ordinance?

• Is this process being followed?

• If a project is determined to be exempt from adherence, how is that decision made, documented and reported?

• What are the City’s plans to prioritize bike lanes specifically, and other road safety accommodations, in this budget?

Additionally, there is only one mention of bicycles in the 453 pages of the budget.

The 39 mentions of sidewalks in the plan frequently reveal where bicycle infrastructure should be added. For example, the enumerated duties of Public Services Administration and Public Works staff includes “road and sidewalk maintenance,” which should read “road, sidewalk, and bicycle infrastructure maintenance.” 

Another glaring omission, the City’s Physiography, on page 5 of the budget, includes the miles of streets and sidewalks in Newport, but not bicycle lanes and paths. This information is important to the City, and is collected for numerous reports and applications – including the overlooked Green & Complete Streets annual report. The absence of this information in the budget is an omission that should be corrected in the final draft. 

Specific recognition in the budget establishes equal standing for all modes of transportation as established in the City’s Green and Complete Streets Ordinance. If the State of Rhode Island doubles its tourism tax, as expected, Newport is poised to receive several million dollars in this budget. 

The City should be prepared to use the anticipated increase in tourism tax funds to address issues identified by the community as priorities – including the Transportation Master Plan. Only then will we be building for the future.

Earlier this month, Bike Newport’s annual Elliot’s Ride For Everyone  was an “open road” event that provided the far-too-rare opportunity for people to enjoy biking and walking in Newport safely separately from car traffic. The experience of people of all ages and abilities enjoying beautiful coastal open spaces safely is a demonstration of what is possible.  

Comments from those who welcomed participants included:

Charlie Holder, Mayor of Newport: “It’s not often we get the opportunity to enjoy one of the most spectacular vistas  and roads in the whole country without worrying about other traffic.”

Colleen Jermain, Newport Superintendent of Schools: “We need to do more to make sure that we have safe traveling lanes here in Newport.”

Renee Kaminitz, Member of Bike Newport’s Advisory Committee: “Many places in this country have established designated bike paths. There’s no reason why we can’t have one on our beautiful island.” 

Renee’s husband, Elliot Kaminitz, the namesake of the annual event, died in 2012 when he was hit by a car while riding his bicycle on Memorial Blvd. Following his death, the City established a bike lane there. 

In 2014, Robert Silvia was killed when he was hit by a car while crossing Memorial Blvd in his wheelchair in a crosswalk. Since then, flashing beacons have been added to the location.

In 2023, Kayla Watson lost her life when she was hit by a truck riding her bicycle on Admiral Kalbfus Avenue. The City is now asking RIDOT for a bike lane and other traffic calming on that road. 

In 2024, Timothy Gillespie lost his life in a crosswalk on Broadway. Faded paint and poor lighting are cited at this location and dozens of other crosswalks in the City.

Sharon Gerlach (2014), Donald Ritter (2017), Michael Strickland (2020), and Elias Valasquez Valdez (2020) also all lost their lives on our roads. 

Road safety will improve when the City prioritizes safe road design and improved driver behavior in advance of tragedies. The obvious start is to ensure adherence to the City’s existing policies and ordinances with adequate budget.

The Board of Directors of Bike Newport respectfully requests that the City of Newport’s FY2026 budget include funding for maintenance of existing bicycle infrastructure, the addition of bicycle infrastructure in all scheduled road improvement projects, reports regarding any exceptions to the Green and Complete Streets ordinance, and the annual report of progress and compliance as stated in the Green and Complete Streets policy.