Greater City Providence

Privatizing Garibaldi Park did not result in the sidewalk being cleared

garibaldi-snow

Unfortunately, privatizing Garibaldi Park did not translate into the adjacent sidewalk being cleared of snow. As when the City was responsible for its maintenance, I had to walk in the street this morning.

Also, per usual, Lamar continues to fail to clear the snow from the bus stop here (and elsewhere I’m sure).


Update: Better late than never, as of Wednesday morning, the sidewalk is clear.

2013-0102-garibaldi-sidewalk

Jef Nickerson

Jef is Greater City Providence's co-founder, editor, and publisher. He grew up on Cape Cod and lived in Boston; Portland, Maine; and New York before settling in Providence. In addition to urbanism, Jef is interested in art, design, and ice cream. Please feel free to contact Jef if you have any question or comments about Greater City Providence.

6 comments

  • I have the same problem with the bus shelter up between Knight and Vinton on Atwells… and the park at the corner of Sutton and Atwells. I wait for the trolley at one of those two stops multiple times a day, and neither is clear. I twisted my ankle trying to climb over the mounds of snow in front of the Lamar shelter… and could only access it at all because the parking lot behind it was cleared.

  • The bus shelter in Centerdale is also blocked as are so many. But I was told definiteively that Lamar’s contract does not require them to clear the shelters from snow. RIDOT sys it is not their responsibility. RIPTA does not have the equipment, staff, or money to do it.

    It is helpful to call attention to the problem, but I don’t see a solution in sight. In my opinion, clearing bus stops should be just as much a municipal responsibility as clearing the roads, a “complete streets” concept that Providence and many other towns signed onto. On state roads, the same principle should apply to RIDOT. Yes this will require tax rvenue, just as tax revenue is required to clear the roads.

  • Down here, the bus shelter ad companies also take the position of not being responsible for litter removal. Same goes for the Washington Area Mass Transit Authority, Virginia Department of Transportation, and Fairfax County–basically anyone who COULD be responsible claims not to be. If someone could figure out who is responsible for bus stops/bus shelters/sidewalks at the same, you would probably win a nobel peace prize.

Providence, RI
43°
Clear
6:19 am4:38 pm EST
Feels like: 43°F
Wind: 2mph SSE
Humidity: 57%
Pressure: 30.49"Hg
UV index: 0
MonTueWed
55°F / 46°F
72°F / 61°F
75°F / 52°F