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Middletown to gather public input on state transportation improvement program projects; March 3 hearing scheduled
Summary
Town staff alerted councilors that Middletown may submit up to five projects to Rhode Island's STIP for the 2026–2035 cycle and scheduled a public hearing March 3 to gather input and prioritize candidate projects.
Town staff told the council the town may submit up to five new projects for Rhode Island’s State Transportation Improvement Program (STIP) for the 2026–2035 cycle and asked the council to review candidate projects and provide input. A public hearing to gather community comment is scheduled for March 3.
What is STIP: STIP is Rhode Island’s federally required 10‑year transportation plan; the first four years (2026–2029) include funded projects. Projects included in STIP are eligible for federal funding but are scored against statewide priorities including safety, multimodal access, pavement condition and project readiness.
Current town projects that will carry forward: Staff said four ongoing Middletown projects — Purgatory sidewalk improvements, Lower Quinac Avenue paving and sidewalk, East Main Road multi‑use path, and Valley Road paving and sidewalk — are already in STIP and will carry forward unless the town reprioritizes.
Candidate roads and priorities: Town staff provided a list of potential projects and road segments that could be submitted, including Quinac Avenue, Berkeley Avenue, Coddington Highway, Defense Highway, East Main Road, Forest Avenue, Green Lane, Greenan Avenue, Hanging Rock Road, Indian Avenue, Jepsen Lane, Maple Avenue, Mitchell's Lane, Paradise Avenue, Peckham Avenue, Third Beach Road, Valley Road, Wapping Road, Walcott Avenue, West Main Road and Wyatt Road. Staff urged the council to prioritize projects that demonstrate safety benefits, multimodal improvements, environmental and economic benefits, and local readiness (matching funds, planning documents, public support).
Next steps: Town staff will accept input from councilors and the public at the March 3 hearing, score candidate projects for expected state scoring criteria, and return to the council with recommended submissions. Councilors discussed the potential to seek a regional traffic study but noted such work typically requires coordination among multiple island municipalities.
Why it matters: Inclusion in STIP is typically a prerequisite for state and federal funding for major road, sidewalk and multimodal projects. With only five new slots available for submission, the town must prioritize which projects are most likely to score well for funding.
