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Residents urge Narragansett council to adopt Safe Streets plan and press to complete William C. O'Neil South County bike path
Summary
Rosemary and David Smith asked the Town Council to adopt the "Safe Streets for All" action plan and to support completion of the William C. O'Neil South County bike path, noting $3 million in STIP funding is pending and two state hearings are scheduled before the program finalizes.
At the Narragansett Town Council meeting July 7, Rosemary and David Smith of Castle Road urged the council to adopt the Narragansett Safe Streets for All (SS4A) action plan and to push to complete the final segment of the William C. O'Neil South County bike path to the town beach.
The Smiths told the council that adopting the SS4A plan would make Narragansett eligible for state funds to implement projects contained in the plan; they said the plan listing of 26 action items is eligible for funding for only one more year unless the town moves to adopt it. They also cited a Dupreid Engineering due-diligence report evaluating alternatives for the final segment and said funding for the bike path has remained in the state Transportation Improvement Program (STIP) at $3,000,000 but is pending the town's agreement with the Department of Transportation on route selection.
"Time for action is now," Rosemary and David Smith told the council, and they said they plan to testify at the Rhode Island Division of Statewide Planning hearings covering the STIP: July 10 in North Kingstown and July 16 in Providence.
The Smiths linked recent fatal bicycle crashes and local safety concerns to the need for bike-path completion and for complementary safety measures such as improved markings and signage on Boston Neck Road. They urged the council to act before the STIP is finalized in September 2025 and to take responsibility for selecting a route and executing agreements with state transportation officials.
The council did not take formal action on the request at this meeting; the Smiths framed their remarks as public comment and asked the council to adopt the SS4A plan and make route decisions that would preserve the $3 million allocation in the STIP.
