The State of Rhode Island reconsidered its plan to build a Transit Hub at Exit 1 in Hopkinton. On Monday, March 20, 2017, RIDOT announced that it will cancel its plans.

Director Peter Alviti is quoted, “This was the right decision to make for several reasons. First, we wanted to do what was best for Hopkinton. We understand that the residents treasure the rural nature of their town and they want to keep it that way.”

It’s a great decision for Hopkinton, and a great decision for the State.

There are many people who had a role in convincing RIDOT to change its course.  Thanks go foremost to the people of Hopkinton for their commitment to their town. There’s a patriotic spirit here that runs deep — it’s a special thing — and I, for one, am pleased to witness it.  It’s also important to thank the Hopkinton Town Council, Representative Brian Patrick Kennedy, Senator Elaine Morgan, and Senator Dennis Algiere for their efforts in opposing the Transit Hub, and of course to Governor Gina Raimondo and RIDOT itself for ultimately cancelling the project.

It’s important to also thank Cynthia Drummond and The Westerly Sun. The Transit Hub plan may have gone unnoticed if not for coverage in the newspaper. Indeed, there is more detailed coverage of the story in Cynthia Drummond’s article in The Westerly Sun. We can all be grateful for the attention that local news coverage brought to the issue.