Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Storm Response topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Cranston council committee hears DPW update on Blizzard of 2026 cleanup, presses for equipment data and pothole plan
Summary
At a March 4 public‑works committee meeting, the Department of Public Works said city crews and roughly 65 private vendors responded to the Blizzard of 2026, prioritizing main arteries and emergency access; councilmembers praised communications but pressed for exact equipment counts, pothole timing and cost estimates as they weigh budget needs.
Cranston — The Public Works Committee met March 4 and heard a detailed briefing from the Department of Public Works on the city’s response to the Blizzard of 2026. Director Enzulli told the committee crews and contractors worked around the clock at the height of the storm, mobilizing roughly 40 city vehicles and about 65 private vendors and requesting mutual aid from Pennsylvania, Connecticut and the Maine National Guard to haul and remove snow.
“Once it let up, we were able to secure additional forces…we were able to get 15 additional payloaders,” Director Enzulli said during the update, adding that priority during the white‑out conditions was to keep main arteries clear so emergency vehicles could respond.
The DPW described a tiered approach: open main roads and emergency routes first, then widen those routes to two lanes, and finally address neighborhood streets where possible. Hauling locations included the city stadium, several ball‑field lots and a Perkins Street site. Enzulli said crews coordinated with the school bus operator to run trial routes and to identify locations that needed intersection widening to accommodate bus stops.
Council members offered largely positive assessments of the operation’s communications. “A+ — people love the videos of the mayor giving updates,” one councilor said, thanking the mayor’s office and DPW for frequent public messages. Several members also asked for follow‑up data: how many of the city’s vehicles are 10‑wheelers versus six‑wheel dump trucks; how many private 10‑wheelers were deployed; and when pothole repairs will begin. Enzulli said two pothole crews have been working through the week and staff would provide a vehicle breakdown on request.
The exchange grew heated when Councilman Anduhar said parts of his ward were left impassable for 48 to 72 hours and called for accountability. “Whoever the hell was in charge of this snowstorm should be fired,” he said, describing streets he said were blocked by eight‑foot snow piles and warning that seniors could have been unreachable. Other members acknowledged frustrations while noting the city’s prioritization of emergency routes during the storm.
Committee members also discussed equipment posture and budgeting, including whether the city needs more six‑wheel or 10‑wheel trucks as the capital budget is prepared. Enzulli cautioned officials that adding more heavy equipment can be a balance — useful for a major storm but costly to maintain in quieter years.
The committee adjourned after routine business and moved on to separate ordinance items later in the evening. The DPW committed to providing the requested fleet breakdown and to coordinate continued pothole repairs and intersection clearing as thawing and rain change road conditions.
