Who Didn't See This Coming? (And It's Only Going To Get Uglier!)

The city's new, overly ambitious and transformational approach to paid parking, recently referred to as "going with kiosks and digital," by apparent (or former) Parking Bureau spokesperson and actual HPD Captain, David Miller, had been scheduled to begin tomorrow, Monday, December 5th, since Miller - serving in his brief role as Acting Police Commissioner and Acting Chief, neither of which he is any longer -- signed an official order on November 17th. But things are not looking good. In fact, there is little to nothing to see (or read) now that offers any confidence things are going smoothly or as planned. In short, things are a friggin' ugly mess with the city's plans and progress for paid parking.  

It's Nice To Know Certain Things Never Change, Isn't It?

 

What I've noticed over the past ten years about CSX, the railway transportation company that owns the train tracks that run through downtown, is that they could be a better neighbor.  We all deserve better treatment from them, though an equal part of the blame should be directed at Hudson City Hall.  This year seems like a good time for long overdue improvements in communication, relations and respect between CSX, City Hall and Hudson residents.

Have A Safe and Sane 2026, Y'all!

 

When on foot and even with the right of way, please remember to look both ways for oncoming traffic before crossing streets, INCLUDING WHEN YOU ARE CROSSING ONE WAY STREETS!  (Looking all four ways at all intersections isn't a bad idea, either!)  

The picture above was taken on Wednesday.  Before turning onto Warren, the driver, with blinker on, waited at the two red lights for a while before they turned green, and he did not have the frantic, guilty look of someone who knows they are headed in the wrong direction.  Did he enter 4th Street from Columbia Street or from Prison Alley?  From State Street, perhaps?)

How Bad Has The Parking Situation Gotten For Residents Surrounding The Pocketbook Hotel and Baths? The Signs Continue To Multiply!

 

If you don't reside in the shadows of the Pocketbook Factory, located on North 6th between Wahington and Prospect Streets, you may have difficulty understanding how bad the parking situation has become there.  These pictures should give you a better idea of the problem the PBH has created for nearby residents.  You should feel fortunate that you don't have to deal with what so many of us are dealing with over here.

What About Next Winter's Significant Snowfall? And The Following Winter?

The amount of snow that DPW and outside help dumped in the Firestation lot on Washington Street over the past two days from every street in the city is really impressive.  (Pictures can't convey how massive that pile is.)  I haven't seen a mound of snow there that large in several years.  What will be more impressive -- and should be to every Hudson resident -- is if DPW can do the same thing next year (and for the four years following) when the Pocketbook Hudson Hotel and Baths people have taken over most of the lot for their leased parking lot on city property.  I don't see how it would be possible for DPW to manage it, though.

I, For One, Am Going To Miss Galvan (If They Ever Actually Leave)!

About a month ago, at the southeast corner of Washington & 6th, Galvan opened a 38-space paved parking lot for tenants of their new apartment building located closer to 7th Street than 6th Street, the monstrosity known as the Depot Lofts that is not filling up with tenants nearly as quickly as Galvan and their pal Kamal Johnson had hoped.  Depending on how many grocery bags one is carrying, how much traffic there is, how dark it is, how old one's knees are, which way the wind is blowing, how many children are in tow, how hard it's raining or how much ice and snow are on the sidewalks, the time required to walk between the lot and the entrance door of 76 North 7th Street is, in my estimation, anywhere from 3 to 6 minutes for tenants paying for a parking space.  Of course, depending on the conditions, more or less the same amount of time is required to turn around and return to one's car parked in the lot.  (I'm not sure precisely what the monthly cost of a parking space in the lot several hundred feet away from the apartment building is, but I seem to remember it's no less than $150.  Whatever the price, it's a friggin' deal!  We should all be so fortunate to have such an option!)

Once Upon A Time

There was a time not too long ago -- at least on Warren Street -- when one or two DPW workers with shovels and ice choppers would push all the snow accumulated on the curb into the street ahead of the DPW plows and the enormous snow thrower taking away the snow already in the street.  I saw it happen on more than one occasion several years ago.  Sure, it's more effort, you need the manpower, it can be difficult if the snow has hardened to ice, and it does slow down the street clearing process a bit, but it sure makes a lot of sense for a number of reasons, doesn't it?  For one, allowing people easy and safe access to both sides of their vehicle is a good idea, especially in the downtown business district.  The last thing you want are walls of snow and ice at the curb lining our streets for weeks.  We like happy, uninconvenienced visitors spending their money downtown, not spending their time and money elsewhere or in the hospital!   Well, that old- fashioned, sensible and friendly approach to removing as much snow as possible to keep things tidy and safe once made sense, but it doesn't anymore!

All pictures taken this morning: