Hey, this is New England! Subfreezing temperatures and precipitation combine to provide our quintessential landscapes, and we have a tradition of functioning in the worst of it. Cars slip, trucks splash, and buses grind through the slush.
New England towns -- with some exceptions -- are well practiced at clearing the streets and New England drivers are better than most at navigating the winter weather.
But what about the sidewalks?
Most Rhode Islanders take responsibility for clearing their own walkways (and I bet we all know people who help their less healthy or able neighbors dig out from the big storms). But it's often less clear who is responsible for clearing off some public areas, including bus stops, which can inconvenience or endanger a significant number of Rhode Islanders.
Eight percent of Rhode Islanders either walk, bike or ride the bus to work. Eleven percent of Rhode Island households own no car. In the first 30 years of the 21st century, the population 65 and older is projected to increase by 53.4%.
Walking on safe, clear sidewalks and bus stops is a basic necessity and pedestrian access to stores, neighbors, and buses is elemental to getting around in the winter months.
Many towns have ordinances requiring property owners and occupants to remove snow and ice. East Providence and Central Falls allow 4 hours from end of snowfall to clean sidewalks, and Warwick, a lenient 24 hours except in school zones. Residents' sense of civic duty impels the good folks to grab shovels and blowers, but enforcement has been lax to get shovels into the hands of the others. Click here to find the ordinance details in your town. Let CTC know if you don't get adequate response from your town about violations at emarks@asri.org.
Firefighters clear the hydrants, but no one manages many of the bus shelters and stops routinely impacted as plows push snow along the curbs, including those marked for bus stops. In a system plagued with budget woes, RIPTA has not responded charitably to suggestions that they pay employees to clear the more than 4,000 stops in the system. In its 5-year Plan the suggestions for improving bus stops include developing partnerships with local towns and businesses to maintain bus stops.
For the sake of the many Rhode Islanders who rely on RIPTA during the winter months -- and who may in fact have "miles to go before they sleep" -- CTC urges RIPTA to include specific plans for snow removal in its 5-year plan.
