Rhode Island
GoLocalProv | News | Can Providence Clean Up This Storm?
Saturday, February 21, 2026
Providence Mayor Brett Smiley PHOTO: GoLocal,
The snowstorm that hit Rhode Island on January 25-26 dropped about 16 inches on Providence.
Some of it is still blocking some corners, nearly a month later.
Providence Mayor Brett Smiley’s administration has been widely criticized by residents, small business owners, and members of the City Council for the poor response.
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Many, if not all, Providence streets were poorly plowed. Adding insult to injury, some business owners and homeowners failed to properly clear their sidewalks. While residents were fuming about the failed cleanup, Smiley left the City to attend a conference in Washington, D.C.
The city ordinance requires sidewalks to be cleared 36 inches so those with disabilities can pass. The city cites few for failure to clear sidewalks, issuing fewer than 80 citations.
Three Weeks Later
This week, the Rhode Island State Police escorted a person in a wheelchair who decided to use Route 6, because Providence streets and sidewalks were impassable three weeks after the storm.
“We received calls [about a wheelchair rider] on the highway. We basically gave them an escort off the highway and spoke with them about the dangers of being on the highway,” said Lt. Col. John Allen.
Police also spoke with the rider.
“They said they were concerned about being on the city streets with no place to go,” said Allen. “But again, we shared our concerns about them being on the highway, and that they should not do it again.”
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The Smiley administration was also criticized for dumping snow in South Providence on the site of the former Urban League.
This Coming Storm
The National Weather Service forecasts that Providence will receive 12-20 inches from late Sunday afternoon into Monday.
Rhode Island Energy warns that winds could gust to 60 MPH
With snow accumulation expected to begin Sundayevening, the City announced that a parking ban will go into effect at 3 PM on Sunday, February 22, until further notice.
The parking ban will prohibit parking on all snow routes and city streets to allow snowplows to clear roadways effectively. The ban will remain in effect until further notice, and violators may be subject to ticketing and towing. During a parking ban, residents, including those with an overnight parking permit, are not allowed to park on city streets. Parking in Providence Public School parking lots is prohibited during a parking ban.
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