Center Opposes Green Gateway as DOT Bait-&-Switch; Boulevard & Other Options Should be Considered

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 11, 2016

Green Gateway an Obvious Hand Out to Special Interests; Like Toll Bill Itself, Fails to Consider Alternatives

Providence, RI — The Rhode Island Center for Freedom & Prosperity opposes the RI Department of Transportation’s proposed 6-10 connector “Green Gateway” project as an illegitimate political scam and as a potential fiscal disaster a la Boston’s infamous ‘big dig’ boondoggle.

“The Governor sold us a toll plan that was to repair decrepit bridges and roads. We were not sold a green vision, especially one that hands-out of hundreds of millions to special interests,” said Mike Stenhouse, CEO for the Center. “Obviously taxpayers were purposely deceived via this bait-and-switch charade that was always about cronyism and advancing a federally-planned sustainablist vision, that will likely cost taxpayers far more than anticipated.”

Citing the tunnel, the green-space theme, and the ‘bus-lane-to-nowhere’ components of the DOT plan, none of which were highlighted in the heated toll debate, the Center points out how once again the state government rammed through its own agenda, without due process and without considering credible alternatives. Each of these formerly hidden components would result in massive construction and union related spending that would detract from spending on other unsafe bridges and roads.

Referring to reports of already increased estimated costs, combined with the well-documented inefficiencies at the RI DOT, the Center further warns that the ambitious 6-10 tunnel and construction project could lead to massive cost-overruns, similar to those seen in the Boston big-dig fiasco.

In the past year, the Center, along with other groups, have proposed various alternatives to the Governor’s proposal, including P3 partnerships and pay as you go funding, all of which have been summarily rejected, and, now, likely the 6-10 “boulevard” concept as well as other calls to simply repair the existing infrastructure.

The Center recommends that the boulevard concept, minus the dedicated bus lane component it sees as wasteful, could be a lower-cost option that should receive more evaluation from the DOT. Via its online journalism wing, The Ocean State Current, the Center recently posted a video interview with James Kennedy of Transport Providence, one of the leading advocates for a 6-10 boulevard, which offers more discussion on the topic. The interview is part of the Center’s What’s Really in Your Best Interests debate series.

Media Contact:
Mike Stenhouse, CEO
401.429.6115 | info@rifreedom.org

About the Center
The nonpartisan RI Center for Freedom & Prosperity is Rhode Island’s premiere free-enterprise research and advocacy organization. The nonprofit Center is funded entirely by private tax-deductible donations and never accepts public funding. The mission of the 501-C-3 organization is to return government to the people by opposing special-interest politics and advancing proven free-market solutions that can transform lives by restoring economic competitiveness, increasing educational opportunities, and protecting individual freedoms.