Hundreds of parking spaces added to Kingston Campus for fall semester

To accommodate a higher number of commuters to our campus and to adhere to health guidelines, the Office of Transportation and Parking has made several changes for fall 2020. These include:

Parking

An additional 490 commuter spaces have been added to the campus with the redesignation of 270 spaces in the Keaney lot (Lot 26) to commuter spaces and the creation of 220 commuter parking spaces along Flagg Road and West Alumni Avenue. Also, the redesign and layout of Lot 21 on Flagg Road and the redesignation of 60 visitor spaces have created an additional 72 faculty and staff spaces.

Carpool permits with priority parking spaces in Lots 5 and 7 are available to students who commute to campus with one other individual in their vehicle. Interested students may apply for a carpool permit beginning August 1. (Note: Only two-person carpools are permitted during the COVID-19 pandemic. Please follow carpool safety and health guidelines.)

Some resident students who bring their cars to campus will be assigned parking at the Schneider Electric facility in West Kingston (7 minutes away) or at the Wickford Junction Station garage in North Kingstown (20 minutes away). This parking is less expensive than on-campus parking. The Schneider facility will have shuttle service at key times when resident students generally access their cars. There will be an appeal process for resident students with a demonstrated need to have their cars on campus to apply for on-campus parking. Parking for those with disabilities will be provided on campus.

Note: As a reminder, first-year resident students may park only at Wickford Junction.

Schneider Electric

Nearby satellite parking located at Schneider Electric, 132 Fairgrounds Road, West Kingston, is available for residents and commuters. A less expensive URI satellite parking permit is required to park at this location, and can be obtained at uri.aimsparking.com. Free shuttle service to and from this lot is available Monday-Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Transportation outside of these hours will be the responsibility of the permit holder. Residents can park on campus in a student lot without a permit on weekdays between 5 p.m. and 7 a.m., and all day on weekends/holidays when classes are not in session.

Parking at Wickford Junction

Commuting students and first-year resident students may also park for free year-round at the Wickford Junction Station in North Kingstown and take a RIPTA bus to campus. RIPTA buses travel between campus and Wickford Junction every 20 minutes, and you can be dropped off at one of three campus locations.

2020-21 Parking Rates

In recognition of the need for flexibility in parking arrangements in the coming academic year, parking permits will be sold on a semester basis only, at one-half the annual rate, resulting in the same saving on a semester basis as parkers would previously have realized by purchasing an annual permit. Parking permit fees will not be refundable. The parking permit rates are set forth here.

Public Transportation

The UPass program, a pilot RIPTA program funded by a grant which has expired, will not be continued in the fall. Half-price RIPTA passes (cost: $1 each) in 10-ride books will be available for purchase by members of the University community at the Campus Store on the lower level of the Memorial Union beginning Monday, August 17. Payment can be made with cash, credit card or Ram Card. Students may use the Ram Account Kiosk machine by the Dining and ID Office in the Memorial Union to put cash on their Ram Card for use for purchasing. A University ID is required to make a purchase. Discounted passes cannot be purchased for use by others or for resale.

Frequent RIPTA service is available. Bus routes 62 and 66 provide service to and from Providence (including the train station and the RI Nursing Education Center) to URI; route 64 links the Bay and Kingston campuses with Newport and connects to route 60, which serves the East Bay from Providence to Newport.

On-campus shuttles

To serve the needs of our community as effectively and efficiently as possible while adapting to distancing guidelines, some on-campus shuttle routes have been modified. Fall 2020 planned bus routes can be tracked in real time at uri.transloc.com. Riders should note:

• Some stops have been removed or designated as drop-off only.
• Seating on buses will be limited as per state guidelines for distancing.
• Face coverings will be required on all buses.
• Hand sanitizer will be available at main bus shelters.
• Buses are cleaned and sanitized daily with an EPA-approved disinfectant.
• When weather permits, buses will open top windows to increase airflow.

When boarding, please allow passengers to first exit at all stops without identified loading zones. Please enter the bus from the identified boarding area and fill available seats from the rear of the bus to the front. Available seats will be identified. Standing areas will be marked by “Stand Here” floor decals.

When leaving the bus, please exit from front to rear seats and respect the space of fellow passengers as you exit.

Date to remember

Student parking permits go on sale August 1. To learn more, visit Transportation and Parking.