Rhode Island’s first 2023 snowstorm serves as another reminder that the state has forgotten it has pedestrians, again. Governor Dan McKee posted on social media that they’re ready by showing off the state’s plow truck fleet. Fortunately, while the governor may not know this, I have the answer: plow trucks are unable to access sidewalks.
At least the state’s capitol, Providence, and its mayor understands this predicament, right?
As if people will listen because he posted on Facebook. The comments are spot-on though, and highlight the issues pedestrians both in Rhode Island and across the US have continually faced in the wintry months and year-round.
Why aren’t we enforcing snow shoveling mandates for sidewalks? Better yet, why don’t we take it as seriously as we do our roads? Why is it only those who drive matter? Workers, students, families, those with disabilities—everyone needs adequate and accessible sidewalk access.
Rhode Island and its cities also suffer from cars frequently parking on sidewalks, and not to mention, many roads, including the primary ones, completely lack sidewalks altogether. It doesn’t take a genius to recognize that forcing pedestrians into spaces filled with several tons of steel careening at high speeds is unsafe. So, why do we continue to do so?
Until this is addressed—until we even have the audacity to show the minimal amount of recognition by shoveling snow off our sidewalks—we will continue to see people needlessly die due to inadequate mandates, carelessness, and the continued belief that pedestrians don’t exist.
