Quick! Fix The Street For The Cars And Trucks! Don't Worry About The Carless Fools!

For several weeks last year (or, possibly, the year before), the sidewalk in front of 523 State Street was blocked, forcing pedestrians into the street.  There was never anyone working on the vacant house and no one at City Hall seemed to care.  The same nonsense is going on right now in my neighborhood once again, displaying a disgraceful disregard for pedestrians and the disabled.  We live in an automobile-centric world, where pedestrians are often, at best, an afterthought.  This is especially true in Hudson in general and in Hudson City Hall specifically.  Just ask the Federal Department of Justice. 

Over two weeks ago, a local contractor by the name of Meyers Contracting (located at 728 Union Street) excavated the sidewalk in front of the still vacant house at 523 State and put up sidewalk barriers, forcing pedestrians into the street 24/7.  They did their street excavation work last week, and by last Friday had that hole filled in and asphalted so that traffic could resume unimpeded and without a rough road.  But they did nothing about the blocked and missing sidewalk, and to this day they still haven't done anything.  Meyers made sure to get the street back to near normal for cars and trucks but couldn't give one hoot about people on the sidewalk.  Traffic first!  Pedestrians?  WE DO NOT CARE.  Of course, City Hall concurs.

Hole in street taken care of right away.
Sidewalk untouched for over 2 weeks
 and counting.

May 11th, 2 weeks ago

I called Meyers Contracting this morning and spoke with someone familiar with the work going on at 253 State.  He told me that they were "hoping to get to the sidewalk next week."

"Why did you take care of the street and do nothing about the sidewalk?" I asked. 

"We've been having trouble getting concrete mix in the proper sized bags.  There's nothing we can do about it right now," I was told.

"You're telling me that you are a contractor and you can't get your hands on enough concrete to fill in a portion of sidewalk, but you had plenty of asphalt for the street last week?" I asked. 

The line went dead.

About 8 days ago, I noticed that someone had excavated the sidewalk on State Street just east of the railroad track crossing.  The sidewalk was not blocked, but there was a large barrel covering a small hole to the side.  I inquired at DPW if anyone had been issued a permit to dig up the sidewalk there.  Alas, there was no permit on file for that location. On Monday of this week, I noticed Meyers Contracting excavating the entire sidewalk at that location, and there have been barriers blocking the sidewalk since then, forcing pedestrians into the street all week. 

It's not just that contractors get away with doing business as if pedestrians don't exist, it's that the DPW has no problem with contractors acting like this.  By allowing it to continue, Robert Perry only encourages more of the same.  Permits? What permits?  Sidewalks?  What sidewalks?  Pedestrians?  Who?

There is no penalty for digging up a sidewalk or street without a permit in the City of Hudson.  Nor is there a penalty for digging up a sidewalk and a street at once, then repairing the street but doing nothing about the sidewalk for weeks.  This is Hudson City Hall in the 21st century -- a place that really doesn't give a crap about its own residents, especially those who walk.  Just ask the DOJ if you don't believe me.