R.I. Gen. Laws § 24-15-1: Purpose.

In order to create and preserve rustic and scenic highways for vehicular, bicycle, and pedestrian travel in unhurried, quiet, and leisurely enjoyment; to protect and preserve recreational driving, culture, beauty, trees, vegetation, shoreline, and wildlife by establishing protective standards of scenic highway design, speed, maintenance, and identification, which will promote a continuous system of scenic highways and scenic easements for the public health and welfare; a state system of scenic highways is created.