PROVIDENCE — Rallying around Kennedy Plaza, in front of City Hall, about two dozen transit riders and advocates called on local officials to make decisions about the state’s bus hub with them in mind.

“Nothing about us without us,” the crowd chanted several times during the course of the hour-long demonstration Monday afternoon.

Many advocates have balked at the idea of moving the hub outside Kennedy Plaza, which has operated as a transit center since the 1800s. Others are open to the idea of moving the hub, but only if it’s better for riders than the current location.

In public meetings, Rhode Island Transit Authority staff has suggested several potential locations for a new hub, including locations closer to the train station and former Interstate 195 land, which some transit advocates have called “Siberia” because of its distance from businesses and services. RIPTA officials have told members of the public that Kennedy Plaza poses certain challenges as a hub: it lacks space, it’s owned by the city, and zoning could preclude constructing some facilities.

“There’s a reason the bus hub is in the center of downtown; it’s the ideal location,” Randall Rose, of the Kennedy Plaza Resilience Coalition, said during the July 22 rally. He is against moving the transit hub out of Kennedy Plaza.

Rose said he is also concerned about the cost of creating a new hub and the potential that RIPTA could take on debt to do it.

Barry Schiller, a longtime transit advocate who spoke on behalf of the Rhode Island Transit Riders, said that although the group is not strictly against moving the hub, they’ll only support a move if it is fiscally responsible and good for riders.

“We do welcome conversations about upgrading the Kennedy Plaza hub, and even the possible bus hub locations near the train station,” he said. “We emphasize though, that before any relocation could be supported, there would need to be an actual improvement for riders.”

Schiller said he has been pleased to see some recent improvements to the current hub, including fixes to some of the bus shelters, issues he and others brought to interim RIPTA CEO Chris Durand.

“He fixed the clock,” Schiller said. “That was a symbol of dysfunction.” Still, he said it’s a hard sell to get some people to take the bus downtown because of Kennedy Plaza’s reputation.

Other riders also expressed concern about a new location and desire to see the current hub improved.

Bus rider Robin Barradas said she knows people who have felt unsafe in Kennedy Plaza, but that the problem is because of a lack of social services for those who are the most vulnerable. She said she is worried about how riders who are elderly or have disabilities will fare if the hub moves farther away from the businesses and services that they need.

“Shame on Providence,” she said.

Rep. Enrique Sanchez, a Democrat from District 9 Providence, said he is fighting to keep the bus hub where it is, despite support for a move from Gov. Dan McKee and other state officials.

“I think most community members who use public transportation, who use the bus, depend on coming to Kennedy Plaza,” said Sanchez, adding that he doesn’t want to see special interests “push out our most vulnerable community members.”

Attendees clapped and one person rang their bike bell following Sanchez’s remarks.

At the end of the rally, organizer Rose asked for a raise of hands to see who would participate in another rally, and almost everyone put their hands up.

According to RIPTA presentations on the hub project, a location selection is scheduled for August.