It is hereby found and declared as follows:

(1)  Rhode Island has had a long and rich legacy of providing public transit services that contribute to the fabric of the state;

(2)  Public transit continues to evolve and can play increasingly important roles in the future;

(3)  Public transit services provide benefits to the quality of communities by curtailing energy consumption, helping people participate in their communities by offering mobility options, defining spaces and promoting sound urban design, and linking activity centers to support social networks;

(4)  Pedestrian access and safety is crucial to supporting public transit services;

(5)  One of the values of an improved public transit system is the generation of investment and wealth in areas served by the system;

(6)  The state’s public transit system should provide a variety of mobility options for people that include services for people with special needs, and services to tourism destinations, employment and retail centers, education institutions and other modes of transportation including rail, air, and water transportation services;

(7)  The use of technology is vital for making informed decisions about existing and future public transit services and for providing efficient, user responsive public transit; and

(8)  The state in partnership with local communities should support the legacy of public transit services in Rhode Island and improve, expand, and augment that system to meet the needs of the people in the twenty-first (21st) century.