Trucking Association Claims Raimondo Administration Withholding Information
Tuesday, December 01, 2015
The president of the Rhode Island Trucking Association is claiming that "repeated requests" for information by the Raimondo Administration have been ignored, and has filed an Access to Public Records Act (APRA) request to obtain the information.
“From the very beginning of this process we have continually called on the administration to release more information related to their tolling plan. Unfortunately, those repeated requests have been ignored and it has forced us to file a public records request so that our members and all Rhode Island businesses can truly understand the impact of RhodeWorks,” said Christopher Maxwell, president of the Rhode Island Trucking Association.
On Monday, Maxwell released a public records request he has filed with the director of the Rhode Island Department of Transportation seeking information related to the governor’s RhodeWorks toll plan.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLASTStatement from RITA
"Stating that the federal highway administration has to approve toll locations so they cannot be disclosed yet is not a plausible excuse for withholding this information. It is clear the administration knows where they intend to place the tolling gantries, otherwise how could they attempt to project revenue to support the bond payment. The governor is asking members of the General Assembly to make a $1 billion decision yet they don’t even know how many tolling locations will be located in their districts," said RITA in a statement.
According to RITA, the public record request seeks to obtain the following:
· The full Level 2 Traffic Collection Report completed by CDM Smith and RIDOT including but not limited to, all data used in the study methodology, the methodology used in determining its traffic counts all empirical traffic data used in study.
· A statewide roadway map with specific locations of all proposed toll gantries for the RhodeWorks program.
· The specific tolling locations used in preparing the REMI study entitled – The Economic Impact of RhodeWorks: An Accelerated Transportation Restoration Plan report and the CDM Smith Level 2 Traffic Collection Report.
· All written and electronic correspondence between RIDOT and the Office of the Governor regarding toll and bridges locations for RhodeWorks program.
· All correspondence both written and electronic between RIDOT and the Federal Highway Administration related to the federal tolling exemption.
The administration has 10 business days to provide the requested documents or provide notification in writing the specific reasons for denying access to the requested records. The request period may be extended another 20 days if “good cause” can be established within the original 10-day timeframe.
“We do not want to have a combative relationship with the governor and we have put fiscal solutions on the table to address the condition of Rhode Island’s roads and bridges," said Maxwell. "Let’s get this information into the public domain so this entire process is more transparent and lawmakers will have a greater understanding of what they are voting on."
Related Slideshow: Governor Raimondo’s 38 Studios Transcript
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