As of November 24, Providence Mayor Brett Smiley has brought back free parking for the holiday season. The incentive was simple: to encourage residents to shop and support the many local businesses that Providence has to offer. However, it appears they’ve either forgotten part of the equation or are being intentionally exclusionary. What about everyone else who doesn’t drive?
In 2022 alone, the Rhode Island Public Transit Authority provided almost 10 million rides. Do bus riders not matter? Free bussing wasn’t even considered, as if to suggest that those who bus don’t also buy things. However, this isn’t really a surprise, as the Smiley administration has continued to ignore its critically important public transit as it barrels towards a fiscal cliff. This continued car-centric thinking has already resulted in potentially hundreds of millions of dollars in immediate cost–look no further than the Washington Bridge closure as an example. Most importantly, this free parking incentive continues to define what the Smiley administration is about: ignoring anything that doesn’t have to do with cars.
For any city, it’s vital that we encourage and make different modes of transportation accessible. These can come in the forms of not only busing but also bicycles, scooters, walking, etc. Not doing so can be costly; in fact, a recent development highlighted that the car-dependent economy in the bordering state of Massachusetts costs itself $64 billion to run annually. The costs derived from the maintenance of roads, sitting in traffic, pollution, and all of the other factors associated with it may very well bankrupt cities, states, and potentially the country if action isn’t taken.
Put simply, this very example of exclusively catering to drivers is neither sustainable nor economical. What ultimately is occurring is the discouragement of using more sustainable options and at a fundamental level, treating those who don’t drive as second-class citizens. The mindset this administration has adopted must change if we are to embrace the future; accessibility should be intrinsic.
I have reached out to the Mayor and several relevant individuals some weeks ago and have yet to hear back.