Statement on the Proposed Urban Trail and Safety Improvements on Broadway
West Broadway Neighborhood Association (WBNA)

The West Broadway Neighborhood Association believes deeply in the importance of safe, accessible, and well-designed streets. Investments that improve safety, functionality, and long-term neighborhood vitality are essential to a thriving community like ours. In 2022, the city of Providence was awarded a federal Safe Streets for All (SS4A) grant to improve and extend existing Urban Trails that “reduce hazards, improve visibility, deter unsafe driving behaviors, and create a safer and more comfortable environment for all street users, including pedestrians, cyclists, and drivers.” (Read more here)

Broadway is a central corridor in our neighborhood and one of the most heavily used bicycle routes in Rhode Island. Cyclists, pedestrians, drivers, transit riders, residents, and visitors all rely on it daily. Thoughtful infrastructure improvements, as laid out in the city’s plan for Broadway, include protected bike lanes, clearer lane design, shorter and higher visibility crosswalks, improved bus stops, and sidewalk bump-outs, all tools that other cities use to calm traffic, improve visibility, and reduce the risk of crashes and serious injuries. We believe safety improvements should benefit everyone who uses the street.

In recent years, there have been multiple incidents of vehicles crashing into restaurant facades along Broadway and pedestrians being hit while crossing Broadway. These events underscore the broader need to consider how street design influences speed, safety, and the protection of businesses, pedestrians, and drivers alike. As our neighborhood grows and adds density, our streetscape must evolve in ways that prioritize safety and reflect changing needs.

We also recognize that projects of this scale raise important questions, including concerns about parking, accessibility, and business impacts. These perspectives are vital to the conversation. Meaningful community input is essential to shaping solutions that work for the people who live and operate businesses here.

The WBNA is committed to engaging directly with neighbors to better understand how they feel about these proposed changes. In the coming weeks, we will be reaching out to residents and business owners along the corridor to listen to their experiences, concerns, and hopes for Broadway’s future. Our role is to elevate community voices and ensure that any investment in our streets reflects shared neighborhood values.