No Business like Snow Business

It’s easy (and, admit it, enjoyable) to complain about the city’s snow plowing performance after a winter storm. But give some thought to challenges involved and perhaps you’ll take a deep breath before popping off about the wait for a plow on your street after the next snowfall.

First, serious winter storms are increasingly rare in Providence. Nevertheless, whenever it does snow, as it did on Sunday, we expect bare streets ASAP.  That means the city has to maintain a lot of idle capacity all year to respond on the few days that it’s really needed.

Then consider the physical barriers. Our city streets are often narrow, lined with cars or studded with obstacles such as traffic bumps, curb extensions and traffic islands. Older streets may turn at odd angles. Getting plows out of dead end streets can be a time-consuming process. Out-of-town vendors sometimes get lost here.

Councilperson Helen Anthony hosted Leo Perotta, Director of Public Works for Providence, to lay out the city’s snowstorm preparedness and response in March of 2022. Here are some numbers from the meeting notes and other sources.

 

2,100               Number of streets in Providence.

366                  Approximate miles of roadway in Providence.

13%                Total land area of Providence covered by streets.

52                    Number of large trucks equipped for plowing and sanding owned (32) or leased (20) by the city.

115                  Maximum number of snowplows (including those provided by private contractors) deployed in the most severe winter storms.

4                      Hours prior to a predicted storm that the city may begin pre-treating the streets.

5                      Hours needed to complete plowing after a typical snowstorm ends. Major and severe storms will take longer.

360                  Cars towed during a single major blizzard.

ZERO             Number of snowstorms that produced even one inch of snow in 2024.

 

Sources:

City of Providence Traffic Engineering Division

PVD Great Streets Plan

Councilwoman Helen Anthony: Ward 2 Newsletter, March 2022

Weather Underground Weather Archive, TF Green Airport Station., Jan-Dec 2024

 

Jonathan Howard is Co-founder of Cause & Effect, Inc., a consulting company that provides strategic planning facilitation, fund development planning and board strengthening to mission-driven organizations. He is a long- time resident of Providence.