Providence Committee Advances Downtown Turn-on-Red Ban

Providence is considering a ban on right turns on red to reduce the risk of drivers hitting pedestrians in crosswalks. The original proposal would have started downtown in 2027, with warnings for first-time violations, $50 fines for repeat violations, and a possible citywide expansion by 2028; officials and residents raised concerns about traffic congestion and inconvenience. A later committee amendment narrowed the plan to downtown, removing the citywide expansion, and limits enforcement to intersections with posted signs while allowing the traffic engineer to grant exceptions. The amended ordinance still requires approval from the full City Council before taking effect.