BusTalk

ripta42

As part of RIPTA's January 15 seasonal adjustments, two routes have been altered significantly:

The 91-Gold Line trolley has been eliminated. In its place, route 6-Prairie Avenue, which runs about a block west of the Gold Line but only for nine peak hour trips, has been made a trolley route and now runs on roughly 30 minute headways 7 days. The new route detours onto the old 91 route to directly serve Women & Infants Hospital, and it is extended to Roger Williams Park & Zoo. The route runs through a downtrodden neighborhood that has been starting to turn around in recent years, and more frequent service to downtown will just entice more people to live there.

The 49-Camp Street route has been rerouted to terminate at Miriam Hospital instead of the nearly empty shopping center at the Providence/Pawtucket line. The hospital is less than a quarter mile from routes 42 and 99, but direct service will benefit elderly patients. The bus will still provide only seven weekday round trips.

UTC Bus Fan · Joined: 24 Jul 2010 Posts: 30

Haven't saw or heard "49 Camp" in a long, long time. I remember that route when I was a kid in the '60's. What street did it used to end on, at the city lines?

Bill

ripta42 · Posted: Wed Feb 23, 2011 12:42 pm Post subject:

It originally terminated at an off-street loop on Camp Street between Grand View and Evergreen Streets, I believe going back to trolley days. The loop still exists. Sometime in the 1980s or '90s it was extended to Shaw's Plaza at the Providence/Pawtucket city line (the site of the Loew's Drive-in, and the Cyclodrome before that) via Rochambeau Avenue, North Main Street, Pawtucket Avenue, and Ann Mary Street. The Shaw's and many other stores in the plaza have closed over the past several years, so sending the bus to a new terminal makes a lot of sense.

The old terminal at Camp & Grand View (Don Champlin photo):

The Shaw's Plaza terminal (my photo):
[url=http://gallery.bustalk.info/displayimage.php?pos=-17743]

UTC Bus Fan · Joined: 24 Jul 2010 Posts: 30

Appreciate the info and good pictures.

There is another thing new to me. I never knew they are now using Ford Vans like that. Also the "49 Providence". Years ago they would only read "100 Providence".

From the picture, the Shopping Center looks like it is in pretty nice shape. ??

I remember the old Loew's Drive-In well. I even watched a movie there once.

Bill