[Summit] Disappointed in Poor Snow Removal

[Forrest Snyder]

Hi.

We’re relatively new to Providence; this is our second winter. The latest snow storm and subsequent ice has really pointed out to me how poor the snow removal and road maintenance is in our neighborhood. I grew up in Michigan and have lived in New England almost all of my adult life - Maine, Vermont, and the last 10 years in greater Boston. I am accustomed to snow removal to be a serious and on-going battle both during a storm and the days after. Never have I lived in a town or city that did such a cr*p job of clearing the roads. 

Our street, Lancaster, just off of Ivy was not plowed AT ALL until 10 or 11 pm the night of the storm, after it had been snowing for 10+ hours. The drift down the middle of the street was thigh high and the street was completely impassable for the day. Had there been a fire or other emergency, access would have been very difficult at best. Furthermore, only one pass was made when it was plowed. And that’s all that was done for days. Similarly, to my observation, the roads in the neighborhood, with the exceptions of Hope St. and the streets around Miriam Hospital, were given one or two rudimentary plows and that was it. 

In Michigan and other New England cities including Portland, Maine and Boston, snow removal went on 24/7 for several days after a big storm until the streets were relatively safe and completely passable. Why is snow removal so poor in Providence and what can be done to make the streets safe for the next big storm?

Forrest