R.I. Gen. Laws § 24-2-8: Acceptance and opening of highway on land specially granted.

Except as otherwise provided by special act concerning particular cities and towns, whenever the owner of any land shall make a deed thereof to the town in which the land lies, for the especial purpose of being used and improved as a public highway, and the deed shall have been duly acknowledged and recorded, the land shall be thenceforward a public highway to all intents and purposes, and be liable to be opened by the town council of the town where the land shall lie, in the same manner as highways which are laid out by the town council; but no town shall be liable to repair a highway, until the town council thereof shall decree and order that the highway shall be repaired at the expense of the town.