"We Don't Do Sidewalks"

Following up on yesterday's post about the pathetic sidewalk in front of a Galvan property on Allen Street, there is an identical situation showcasing Hudson City Hall's utter lack of interest in safe, decent-looking sidewalks, and pedestrian safety.  Let me introduce you to the sidewalk in front of 516 State Street, which was once smooth and tripping hazard-free.   

At least 5 years ago, a contractor excavated a large portion of the sidewalk, and smaller portion of the street, to get at pipes in front of 516 State.  When they were finished with the pipes, the hole in the street was filled and covered with asphalt.  Asphalt was also used to cover the large hole in the sidewalk, with absolutely no regard for pedestrians.  With 9 feet of rough asphalt surface, there was a 2-inch lip on one end and a 3-inch lip on the other.  I, along with just about anyone passing by, assumed someone would return to add a layer of CONCRETE to make the sidewalk decent again.

A few weeks later, with no improvements made to the sidewalk, I noticed a DPW crew in front putting the finishing touches on the former hole in the street.  The crew had removed the asphalt that the contractor had filled the hole with, replacing it with their own asphalt and making sure it was as smooth as possible.  I asked the DPW foreman if they were going to do the same to the sidewalk.  I remember exactly what he said to me:  "No.  We don't do sidewalks." 

About 3 years ago, I knocked on the door of 516 State and spoke to the tenant inside, a renter.  She shook her head when I asked her what she thought of the sidewalk in front of the house, responding with something like "Yeah, it's just ridiculous.  We thought someone would return and take care of it, but they never did.  It's so dangerous."

And it still is to this day, several years after someone created an unsafe sidewalk and never came back to correct it.  Because DPW thought nothing of it.  Because Hudson City Hall has nothing in place that prevents this from happening.  Because Robert Perry has never initiated an effort to see that this does not happen.  Because Craig Haigh has never attempted to amend the City Code to ensure that this does not happen.  And so, it does happen -- on State Street, on Allen Street, on Columbia Street, and so on.  It does, and it can, happen along any street in Hudson.  On a new sidewalk; on an old sidewalk; on a smooth sidewalk; on a dangerous sidewalk (possibly making things worse)  -- it doesn't matter to City Hall.  Of course, if the contractor for 516 State was issued a permit to excavate the sidewalk and street, that permit was issued by DPW.

While City Hall is being forced by the US Department of Justice to make our sidewalks safe, a contractor can replace a perfectly good sidewalk with something meant to put a pedestrian on their chin in an instant.  And City Hall won't do a thing about it.  Because they "don't do sidewalks."