Overview

The Aquidneck Island Bikeway will offer spectacular waterfront vistas and
provide a continuous 18 mile route along the west side of the island through
Portsmouth, Middletown and Newport and will connect to several existing
popular bike routes, including Ocean Drive in Newport. It will allow riders to
cross the new bike lane on the Sakonnet Bridge, and cross the Mt. Hope Bridge,
to access 55 miles of off-island dedicated bike paths.

The path will provide a safe route in three travel modes: separate marked
lanes adjacent to roadways; a possible dedicated rail with trail section along
Narragansett Bay and sections that are shared lanes, marked with “sharrows.”
A significant portion of the 18 mile route is either already in place or slated for
completion as a side benefit of the RI Department of Transportation (RIDOT)
road safety upgrades in 2013/14. Because of its location next to roadways, it is
designed for adult bicyclists.

The bikeway is designed as a near-term solution to provide safer biking along
existing travel routes, and provide an alternative to the Shoreline Bikeway
proposal, which has an estimated cost of $24 million and a ten to fifteen year
construction time. The completed Interim Bikeway, alternatively, will offer an
18 mile route in a two to six year timeframe with projected costs between $2.5
million and $4.2 million.

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Benefits

Among its many assets, the bikeway’s uniqueness and especially its shoreline
appeal, combined with “car-free” access to the island, will offer recreational,
tourism, economic, cultural, environmental and commuting benefits for
residents and visitors alike.

Process & Funding

when the AIPC received a $75,000 grant award from the van Beuren Charitable Foundation to conduct a professional Design Study Review (DSR) for the Portsmouth portion of its proposed 18 mile Aquidneck Island Bikeway. The DSR feasibility study is required by the Fugia si di alitis dolum adi comnimust latur? Officiam qui que nonseque nos ex et porro doluptiaes expliquate pra porepuda sim qui consequis
anienit ulpa voluptatur a dit earibus iusdaerchit, qui cum accae. State of Rhode Island Statewide Planning Program and the Department of Transportation (RIDOT) prior to consideration of future work.

The focus of the DSR is a link between the end of Cory’s Lane and Stringham/ Burma Road, located next to the railroad tracks and along the bay. This 1.2 mile section is designed to avoid, as much as possible, the large volumes of high speed traffic on West Main Road. However, practical alternatives to the route along the railroad tracks will also be reviewed.

If the DSR indicates the Bikeway plans are feasible and meet state regulations, the Town of Portsmouth will be asked to decide if it wishes to have the project advance. If endorsed by the town, the Aquidneck Island Bikeway project will be reviewed by RIDOT to determine if it is eligible for the Transportation Improvement Program (TIP). If accepted, the project competes for funding for which there is no guarantee. If the state does fund the project, it would pay for the remaining design, engineering, permitting and construction costs. The $75,000 investment will leverage the state costs necessary to complete the bikeway.