Home >> TMA Exploration for Providence >> Recommended Elements
The stakeholders showed great interest in the formation of a TMA. They believed that such an organization would be beneficial in addressing transportation issues and was worth pursuing. However, they found it difficult to conceptualize the TMA, in terms of details. Below is a list of recommended elements for a Providence TMA. These recommendations will hopefully help stakeholders in visualizing the TMA.
Recommended Geographic Scope: City of Providence
Rationale: All roads lead to Providence, or at least it appears that way. The city is the largest employment and business activity center of the state, and consequently face the greatest transportation challenges. The transportation problems extend all across the city from the hospitals to Downtown to College Hill. As such it would be appropriate to have the regional scope of the TMA to be the city of Providence. The TMA may wish to expand its scope in the future, but for now it is recommended that the TMA limit itself to the city limits for simplicity's sake.
Recommended Organizational Structure: Independently incorporated
Rationale: Stakeholders have different interests. Having the organization borne out of a parent organization may cause a conflict of interest between the larger goals of the TMA and those of the parent organization. For example, by having the TMA be part of Brown University, the TMA risks having their efforts be focused on transportation issues on College Hill.
Recommended Membership: Open, but should include major employers
Rationale: Key members of the TMA should include Providence Chamber of Commerce, City, RIPTA, Johnson and Wales, Providence Place Mall, Brown University, and Lifespan. Together, these institutions/businesses have the strength and resources to make the TMA effective.
Recommended Goals: Ease congestion and reduce parking demand.
Rationale: The goals of the TMA should be relevant to the problems of the city, traffic congestion and parking. Thus, the goals of the TMA should be to reduce congestion and alleviate parking through strategies that reduce SOV travel (the root of the problem).
Recommended Activities/Services: Promotional materials and events; Support of Express Travel services, Shuttle service, Direct rideshare incentives, Regional/local advocacy
The TMA can pool together the resources and leadership needed to promote alternative transportation. It should be clear that the TMA will not "take over" Express Travel and Bike Downtown but rather support their services (rideshare, GRH, bicycling). There is also great interest among the stakeholders in a shuttle system operated by the TMA. To encourage commuters to shift their mode of travel, the TMA should provide incentives.
Recommended sources of Income: Dues, Inkind Donations, Grants
Rationale: Grants can provide a large proportion of the seed money for the formation of a TMA. Possible sources for startup grants are the Rhode Island Foundation, State Department of Transportation, and the federal TEA-21 CMAQ program. According to the Providence city planner, the TMA would have the greatest chance of receiving a grant from the Dept. of Transportation. The department has been looking into investing their resources to alleviate the transportation problems in the city. In addition to startup grants, the TMA should also receive income from memership dues. This will ensure that the TMA will have a stable source of resources when grant funding runs out.
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