PROVIDENCE, RI – A recent Rhode Island Voices survey finds that Rhode Islanders see clear opportunities to improve infrastructure safety and everyday public amenities, with significant gaps in communities with fewer resources. 

Across the state, respondents to the “Neighborhood Life” survey expressed concerns about road conditions, limited bike infrastructure, and challenges moving safely and easily through their neighborhoods. Many identified challenges accessing grocery stores, parks, and other essential amenities that support daily life and well-being

These difficulties are most pronounced in Rhode Island’s “core” cities—Central Falls, Pawtucket, Providence, and Woonsocket—where residents reported greater concerns about safety and fewer opportunities for walking and recreation. In contrast, residents in suburban and rural communities were more likely to cite limited public transportation and a lack of sidewalks. 

Among the highlights of the Neighborhood Life survey:

• 68% of respondents rated the presence of protected bike lanes as poor or very poor; 48% rated road conditions as poor or very poor.
• 34% rated their neighborhood as the best place to live, including 21% in core cities and 39% in non-core areas.
• 49% of core city residents reported too few places to walk or exercise for fun.
• 46% of core city residents said they worry about safety when walking in their neighborhood, compared with 17% in non-core areas.
• 56% of non-core area residents said there is too little public transportation within an easy walk, and 55% said there are too few sidewalks.
• A grocery store (52%) and parks, playgrounds or fitness facilities (46%) were the amenities most often rated very important to have within an easy walk.

Rhode Island Voices is a project of the RI Life Index, a partnership between Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island and the Brown University School of Public Health to study Rhode Islanders’ perceptions of the factors that influence health and well-being. 

“These findings highlight how the conditions of our neighborhoods shape daily life and overall well-being,” said Carolyn Belisle, Vice President of Corporate Social Responsibility for Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island. “When people don’t feel safe walking in their community or lack reliable ways to access everyday resources, it affects their ability to stay healthy and connected. Understanding these gaps helps inform the collective work needed to strengthen communities across Rhode Island.”

 “The results highlight both shared concerns and important differences in how Rhode Islanders experience their neighborhoods,” said Melissa Clark, Ph.D., Professor of Health Services, Policy, and Practice at Brown University and Director of the School of Public Health’s Survey, Qualitative, and Applied Data Research Core. “Issues like infrastructure, transportation, and the availability of safe, walkable environments stand out in the data and point to areas where targeted improvements could make a meaningful difference.”

The Neighborhood Life findings are explored in a Rhode Island Voices podcast episode featuring Scott Wolf, executive director of Grow Smart Rhode Island. 

"As strong advocates for better transit service and more protected bike lanes, we at Grow Smart RI are encouraged that the latest Rhode Island Voices survey findings indicate a strong statewide constituency for these critical public health and quality-of-life enhancements,” Wolf said. “The survey findings also suggest that many Rhode Islanders are receptive to the compact, convenient development patterns we advocate, which provide easy access to vital services and amenities such as grocery stores, parks and playgrounds."  

Hosted by Dr. Clark, the podcast series connects survey data with residents’ lived experiences to better understand what shapes health and well-being in our communities. Each episode highlights key findings, examines where gaps persist, and explores how individuals, organizations and policymakers can take steps to strengthen communities across the state.

While the RI Life Index is an annual survey of randomly chosen Rhode Islanders on a broad range of topics, Rhode Island Voices surveys explore specific topics in greater depth throughout the year via a panel of about 1,000 Rhode Islanders representing every RI city and town. The Neighborhood Life survey received 720 responses and was weighted to reflect the demographic distribution of Rhode Island’s adult population.

For more information and full survey findings, visit rilifeindex.org.