Despite rally and public outcry, Mayor Smiley commits to closing the South Water Street Urban Trail

“The closure of the Washington Bridge has had an increasingly negative impact on our neighbors, businesses, infrastructure, and our local quality of life,” said Mayor Smiley in his press release.

“In one of his most influential essays, Friedman articulated contemporary capitalism's core tactical nostrum, what I have come to understand as ‘the shock doctrine.’ He observed that ‘only a crisis - actual or perceived - produces real change.’ When that crisis occurs, the actions taken depend on the ideas that are lying around.”

-Naomi Klein, The Shock Doctrine

After a rally in which 200 people came out forcibly against the plan, Providence Mayor Brett Smiley issued a press release this morning announcing his intention to remove bike lanes from South Water Street as part of “Providence’s comprehensive impact mitigation plan to reduce traffic, improve safety, prevent additional damage to local streets, and alleviate the burden the Washington Bridge closure is having on our neighbors and local businesses.”

“The closure of the Washington Bridge has had an increasingly negative impact on our neighbors, businesses, infrastructure, and our local quality of life,” said Mayor Smiley in his press release. “Providence is responding by implementing temporary and permanent infrastructure changes that will bring much-needed relief to our neighbors and business owners that have been negatively impacted by the congestion and traffic volume in our neighborhoods. I understand the concerns and frustration our neighbors are experiencing, and I am committed to doing everything we can to ease the impact this is having on our city.”

The pertinent section of the press release reads:

“As part of these mitigation efforts, the Administration plans to remove the two-way protected bike path along S Water St and relocate the infrastructure to the raised sidewalk immediately adjacent to the existing bike path to restore the lanes of travel to two lanes, maintain a parking lane with adequate space and preserve bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure along S Water street. As part of this relocation, the Administration will conduct community engagement meetings throughout the Summer of 2024 and then present the final plan for removal and plans for design to the Green and Complete Streets Advisory Council for their informational review.”

The Providence Streets Coalition was quick to respond.

“In the absence of both data and community support for the planned removal of South Water Street Urban Trail in favor of multiple lanes of car travel, we continue to stand in opposition to the removal of infrastructure that has demonstrably increased safety for bicycle riders and pedestrians, and indeed all road users,” wrote Dylan Giles, an organizer with the Providence Streets Coalition. “While we believe Mayor Smiley’s plan remains misguided, we are excited that the proposal will finally get the public vetting it deserves, in the light of day, following the legally required avenues of presentation, review, public engagement, and recommendation by the Green and Complete Streets Advisory Council.

”We are grateful to everyone who wrote, spoke, and walked/rolled/scooted/jammed in the streets in support of this essential infrastructure and encourage everyone to continue making their voices heard in the days and weeks to come.”