RIDOT: Commuter Rail Ridership Up in February

The State Department of Transportation says more commuters were using the MBTA rail in February.

  The state's incentive programs to help fill seats on the commuter rails may have paid off – at least for February. According to the Rhode Island Department of Transportation, ridership on the commuter rail from the Warwick Interlink at T.F. Green Airport and Wickford Junction saw a jump in February. Ridership jumped by more than 100 people each day at Wickford while the Interlink saw an additional 50 people riding each day.  During the winter months, the DOT offered free parking at the two station's parking garages along with free rides on selected Wednesdays.  Ridership at Wickford Junction has remained low and slow to grow since its opening last April. DOT officials, however, have warned businesses that it may take awhile for commuters…

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NK Parent

7:19 pm on Wednesday, April 3, 2013

Even if they ran a special train only on Waterfire nights I know that my family and I would definitely consider using it rather than driving into Providence.   more ›

Free Parking at Wickford Junction to End This Friday

Free wintertime parking at Wickford and the Interlink ends this week.

  Those wanting to take advantage free parking at Wickford Junction and the T.F. Green's Interlink in Warwick have until the end of the week to do so. The Rhode Island Department of Transportation has announced that the final day of free parking at the two parking garages ends this Friday. Until then, commuters taking the MBTA commuter trains will be able to get validated tickets, which lets them leave the garages at no charge.  The state has been offering free parking at these locations since early February, following this year's blizzard. According to Gov. Lincoln Chafee, it was done in an effort to keep motorists off the road during wintry conditions. In another effort to boost ridership from Wickford Junction, the state also announced…

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NK Couple Renews Vows at Wickford Junction

A North Kingstown couple renewed their vows at the Wickford Junction Commuter Rail Station.

Thirty years ago, Greg Coppa popped the question to his wife Abby. Last week, Abby evened up the tally and surprised her husband by getting down on one knee. For the couple's 30th anniversary, Abby decided to mix things up by surprising her husband with a renewal of vows at the new Wickford Junction Commuter Rail Station – only a few miles down the road from their home in Wickford. According to friends, Greg thought the couple was going out for a night with friends and discovered the night would entail a bit more than that when his wife went down on one knee outside the train station. P.S. If Greg Coppa's name looks familiar, you might remember him from a story we ran almost two years ago. Coppa's short story "November Christmas" became …

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Wickford Junction Averaging 150 Riders Per Day

Wickford Junction is slowly gaining ridership in South County.

It’s been more than a month since the first purple and gray commuter rail train made its way into Wickford Junction on April 23. According to transportation officials, ridership has been slow but steady during that time with an average of 150 riders per day. “It’s certainly not unexpected, especially entering into the summer season with people talking more about vacations less about work trips,” said Stephen Devine, chief of Intermodal Planning at the Rhode Island Department of Transportation. Devine added that transit services tend to see slow growth, as evidenced by the opening of the commuter rail service in Providence in 1988. “We only had about 150 to 200 people per day for a couple of years when we first opened Providence,” said …

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MBTA Schedule For Wickford Junction

MBTA has released the official commuter rail schedule for Wickford Junction.

Starting April 23, 2012, commuters will have a new way to get to Providence and Boston. Wickford Junction will become the newest MBTA commuter rail station, running Monday through Friday. Click here for the complete schedule. Commuter trains will bring passengers from Wickford to Warwick, Providence and Boston Monday through Friday – offering 20 trips per day. According to DOT officials, travel time to Warwick will be about 15 minutes, to Providence will be 35 minutes and to Boston’s South Station will be just less then two hours. Tickets are half price for seniors and those with physical disabilities. Kids 11 years and younger are free when accompanied by a paying adult. Monthly passes for unlimited travel to Providence ($89) are also …

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Date Set for Start of Wickford Junction Train Service

Commuter rail service will begin at Wickford Junction on April 23.

In the 1950s, Bob Cioe dreamed that one day commuters would line the platform at a train station in Wickford. More than half a century later, that dream is nearly a reality. The Rhode Island Department of Transportation announced that commuter rail service to Wickford Junction in North Kingstown will begin on Monday, April 23. Commuter trains will bring passengers from Wickford to Warwick, Providence and Boston Monday through Friday – offering 20 trips per day. (Scroll down for the complete list of times.) According to DOT officials, travel time to Warwick will be about 15 minutes, to Providence will be 35 minutes and to Boston’s South Station will be just less then two hours. Fares will vary according to destination, ranging from $2.25 …

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DOT to Formally Announce Start of Wickford Commuter Rail Service

The state Department of Transportation will formally announce the start of a commuter rail station at Wickford Junction on Thursday.

All Aboard in April for Wickford Junction

The long-awaited Wickford Junction Train Station is set to open in April.

On a sunny March day, Wickford Junction Train Station welcomed its first commuter train to its newly-finished platform. It was just a test run, but it was a long-awaited sight for the Cioe family. Proprietors of the Wickford Junction plaza, the Cioes have dreamt of a train station in town for decades since they bought the land in 1982. But for patriarch Bob Cioe, it’s a vision he’s had since 1959. Attending college in Boston while living in Rhode Island to save money, Cioe would take the 99 New Haven every day to and from class – doing his homework or catching up on sleep during the commute. And he loved it. The Rhode Island Department of Transportation is anticipating the station to be up and running the week of April 23, complete with …

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Five Things To Know Today

5 Things: St. Baldrick's, Wickford Junction & Patch 101

Five things to know for March 14.

1.  The North Kingstown Fire Department will be making a different sort of "head"-line this evening. Members of the NKFD will be going under the razor for the annual St. Baldrick's event, shaving their heads to raise money to combat childhood cancer. Help these guys hit their goal of raising $2,000 this year by clicking here. (See all the fun we had at last year's event!) 2.  Also today, check out our Patch 101 networking event at the TownePlace Suites Marriott. Learn how your small business can use Patch to your advantage and get a free lunch out of it. For details, check here. To RSVP, contact Tuni Renaud Schartner at tuni@deepblueti.com or 401-996-7822. (Hurry! Space is limited.) 3.  Care about walking and/or biking in North Kingstown? …

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ru4real

9:17 pm on Sunday, May 27, 2012

Regarding the federal grant app--when does the final decision come down! In the mean time who picks up the short fall? Rhetorical I know--the taxpayers who else! $4.00/day parking fee and coffee and donut sales=$10k per month. That's a lot of coffee and donuts! Especially when you consider there are no trains on the weekend. The talk locally was that the commuter station would be great for NK--…   more ›

Chamber Seeking New Executive Director Amidst Changes

The North Kingstown Chamber of Commerce has a new strategic plan and initiatives for the future.

  Expect to see a more active North Kingstown Chamber of Commerce this year, as the organization looks to innovate its approach to fostering business in town. According to Chamber Chairman Toby Aaron, the chamber has re-crafted its vision for the future to focus more on economic development and collaboration with the Town of North Kingstown, Quonset Business Park and Wickford Junction (where a commuter rail station is slated to open April 23) to attract more business to the area. “The chamber wants to take a more active role in the whole community,” said Aaron. “The chamber needs to think bigger. It needs to do bigger and broader things and bring more awareness to North Kingstown.” Part of that restructuring will be replacing the former …

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Ed Renehan

12:20 pm on Friday, March 16, 2012

Right on!   more ›