Infrastructure

Transportation

Utilities

Transportation

Easy access to markets and distribution services are two major advantages of a Rhode Island location. Positioned between Boston and New York, Rhode Island is at the heart of the New England market, with the Providence area as a key wholesale distribution center.

Air Service

T.F. Green International Airport is one of the most efficient, attractive, and traveler friendly airports in the nation. An $83.5 million renovation and expansion project that began in March of 2006 is nearing completion, and will further improve the efficiency, minimize congestion, ease circulation, and advance security procedures.

Eight airlines provide approximately 200 scheduled flights daily (departures and arrivals). Direct flight service is provided to 25 cities. Eight commuter express airlines provide frequent scheduled service to most northeastern cities. Southwest Airlines - America's low-fare, high-service leader – chose to enter the New England market via Rhode Island.

The airport is centrally located with direct access from Interstate 95, making it less than a 45-minute trip from any part of the state and only a 12-minute drive from downtown Providence.

In addition to T. F. Green Airport, the Rhode Island Airport Corporation is responsible for five general aviation airports throughout the state: Block Island, Newport, North Central, Quonset and Westerly.

Block Island State Airport provides essential access to the offshore vacation retreat. North Central State Airport is located in Smithfield, in close proximity to a couple of business/industrial parks, and serves both corporate and recreational users. Quonset State Airport is located on a peninsula that has port, rail, road and air transportation facilities as well as industrial park. Air and Army National Guard use the facility for training and aviation operations. Newport State Airport is used by visitors to the area as well as local aviation enthusiasts and the Army National Guard. Westerly State Airport is located in the South County area, and serves for extensive aircraft maintenance and repair as well as regularly scheduled air passenger service to Block Island.

Federal Express and Emery Worldwide provide scheduled air freight service. UPS has a major processing facility in Warwick. Boston's Logan International Airport is about an hour's driving time from Providence and provides flights to all parts of the world. Additionally, Logan Airport is known for providing the best U.S. access to Europe in terms of number of carriers, frequency of flights, and shortest flying times.

Ocean Shipping

Narragansett Bay provides one of the best deep-water ocean ports on the U.S. East Coast. The Bay has over 10 miles of commercial waterfront with piers and wharves to accommodate deep and medium draft vessels. Terminals are located in Providence, East Providence, and North Kingstown (Quonset/Davisville).

Situated between New York and Boston, Quonset Business Park has industrial sites located directly on Narragansett Bay or adjacent to it. It is a port of destination for containerized cargo by most shipping lines. The port is served by four customhouse brokers and six shipping agents. Additionally, a second port at Providence serves as a major oil and gas hub. Rhode Island is US Customs District Five with the district office located in Providence.

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Rail Transportation

Rail service is provided daily to Rhode Island industrial sites by the Providence & Worcester Railroad. The P&W rail network allows access to the entire United States and Canadian rail system. The railroad offers complete inter-modal transportation services and provides a custom-house broker, shipping agent and forwards foreign freight for its customers.

Amtrak, the transcontinental passenger rail system, serves Rhode Island on the New York-Boston main line. Currently underway is a high-speed electric rail program which will reduce travel time between Providence and Manhattan from 2 hours 55 minutes to 2 hours. High-speed rail is usually defined as traveling faster than 200 km/h, or about 124 mph. The highest speed attained by Acela Express is 150 mph (241 km/h) on two sections of track in Rhode Island and Massachusetts, which total 18 miles (29 km).

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Highway Travel

Interstate Routes 95, 195 and 295 allow easy access to regional and national markets. Direct trucking service is available to every state, Mexico, and most of the Canadian Provinces. Rhode Island truckers offer same day delivery to Boston and New York for both truckload and less-than-truckload shipments. Over 20 carriers offer regular through-service to the South, over 20 to the Midwest, and 10 to the West Coast.

Public Transportation

The Rhode Island Public Transit Authority (RIPTA) provides public transportation, primarily buses, in the state of Rhode Island. The main hub of the RIPTA system is located in a large bus terminal in Downtown Providence - Kennedy Plaza. RIPTA serves over 71,000 people a day, in 38 out of 39 Rhode Island communities by operating 3,300 daily trips with 58 statewide fixed bus routes.

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RIPTA: http://www.ripta.com/ripta

Utilities

Electricity Generation & Distribution

ISO New England Inc. was established as a not-for-profit, private corporation on July 1, 1997 following its approval by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). The organization has responsibility for managing the New England region's electric bulk power generation and transmission systems and administering the region's open access transmission tariff. http://www.nepool.com/
Electric power is distributed throughout Rhode Island by National Grid, which serves about 465,000 customers in 38 Rhode Island communities.

National Grid
Customer Service Center
PO Box 960
Northborough MA 01532-0960

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For a list of non-regulated power producers authorized to sell electricity in Rhode Island contact the Rhode Island Public Utilities Commission at http://www.ripuc.state.ri.us/utilityinfo/electric/nppreliability.html

Natural Gas

Natural gas is distributed by National Grid, which provides natural gas service to approximately 245,000 customers in Rhode Island.

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For a list of natural gas marketers authorized to sell natural gas in Rhode Island contact the Rhode Island Public Utilities Commission at
http://www.ripuc.org/utilityinfo/natgas.html

Solid Waste Management

The Rhode Island Resource Recovery Corporation operates the State's only landfill in Johnston. The present commercial rate is $75 per ton. The Commercial Contract rate is $70 per ton which requires a minimum of 300 tons within one year and no more than 999 tons. The Commercial Contract rate for 1,000 or more tons per year is $65.

Rhode Island Resource Recovery Corporation
65 Shun Pike
Johnston, RI 02919
401-942-1430 phone
401-946-5174 fax

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Drinking, Commercial and Wastewater Resources

An average rainfall of 40 inches per year provides a dependable and renewable water resource. Ground and surface water supplies yield high quality water well suited for commercial use.

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The Narragansett Bay Commission (NBC) is a public corporation that provides wastewater collection and treatment services to over 360,000 customers in the metropolitan Providence and Blackstone Valley areas. In addition, it is responsible for 110 miles of underground pipes, 70 combined sewer overflows, 23 tidegate structures, and 7 pump stations.

The Narragansett Bay Commission
One Service Road
Providence, RI 02905
Phone: 401-461-8848
Fax: 401-461-6640

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Telecommunications

There are 222 telecommunication providers registered in Rhode Island.

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Several cable television and Internet service providers serve the Rhode Island market.

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Contact Information