Requires any public utility company that needs to close any state or municipal roadway for work to provide notice to all residential and business property owners located within 1,000 ft of the closed highway at least 48 hrs before the road closure.

Rhode Island Utility Fair Share Roadway Repair Act

This bill would require utility companies — such as electric, gas, water, or telecommunications providers — to give advance notice before closing a public road for work. Specifically, if a utility company needs to shut down a state or local street to perform repairs or other work, it must notify all residents and business owners within 1,000 feet of the planned closure at least 48 hours ahead of time.

The bill affects homeowners, renters, and business owners who live or operate near roads where utility work is planned, as well as the utility companies themselves. Currently, nearby property owners may have little or no warning when a road in front of or near their home or business suddenly closes, which can disrupt daily routines, block customer access, or create unexpected traffic problems. Under this bill, they would receive at least two days' notice to plan accordingly.

For utility companies, this would create a new administrative responsibility — identifying and contacting all affected property owners within that 1,000-foot zone before any road closure can begin. The bill is currently in the early stages of the legislative process, having been introduced and referred to the Senate Commerce Committee, with a hearing scheduled for April 2026.