Governor Dan McKee of Rhode Island has instituted a statewide travel ban on commercial and motor vehicle travel in response to the record-setting Blizzard of ’26. In his executive order outlining a number of disaster response measures, he wrote:
Beginning on Sunday, February 22, 2026 at 5 p.m., there shall be a restriction on commercial vehicle travel on all roads statewide. Beginning on Sunday, February 22, 2026, at 7 p.m., there shall be a restriction on all motor vehicle travel on all roads statewide. These restrictions shall be in effect until further notice. Vehicles transporting emergency supplies and/or emergency personnel shall be exempt from these restrictions. Vehicles permitted to travel under these exceptions will not be permitted to travel over the Newport and Jamestown Bridges when the bridges are closed.
The governor also closed all non-essential state offices, ordered all state-affiliated organizations to cooperate with the Rhode Island Emergency Management Agency (RIEMA), called up the National Guard, ordered RIEMA to create an emergency operations center and to activate emergency plans in place.
Action Line: If you’re in or around Rhode Island or other areas hit by the blizzard, use caution and be safe. Email me your blizzard stories at ejsmith@yoursurvivalguy.com. And click here to subscribe to my free monthly Survive & Thrive letter.
