Free Winter Parking Available at Wickford, TF Green Commuter Rail Stations

Drivers can now take advantage of free parking this winter at two of Rhode Island's commuter rail stations. Gov. Lincoln Chafee and the Rhode Island Department of Transportation have announced that parking at the garages at Wickford Junction Station in North Kingstown and the Interlink at T.F. Green Airport in Warwick will be free for the remainder of the winter. Officials are offering free parking to help drivers stay off the roads during poor driving conditions this winter.

"As we have seen over the past couple of days, travel conditions and parking in Providence have been anything but normal because of the blizzard," said Gov. Chafee. "In consideration of what has happened, and the expectations of future storms in the coming weeks, we have decided to provide free parking at our commuter rail stations to make it easier for people to get to work for the rest of the winter."

Those planning to take advantage of the free parking will receive validated tickets allowing them to exit the parking garages at the Interlink and Wickford at no charge through Friday, March 29. Fares from Warwick and Wickford to Providence are $3 and $3.25, respectively, each way. Fares to from these stations to Boston's South Station cost $10.50 and $11, respectively. Full schedule and fare information can be found on RIDOT's website at www.dot.ri.gov.

"While we can clear roads in a relatively short time following snowstorms, major weather events such as the blizzard leave huge volumes of snow that create hazardous situations for many days with slick and narrowed roadways, snow-covered breakdown lanes and less parking," RIDOT Director Michael P. Lewis said. "These problems are being experienced all across Rhode Island, but are greatly exacerbated in a dense, urban environment such as Providence."

Click here for the MBTA schedule on the Providence line.