Hey DOJ, When Are You Returning To Hudson For A Sidewalk Inspection? (with update)

In front of 519 State Street for the past ten days

10 days ago, on Tuesday, July 25th, a contractor took over the sinkhole issue in the street in front of 519 State Street that DPW had originally responded to.  Apparently, it was not a DPW issue after all, and the homeowner had to hire a contractor to fix the leaky pipe that had caused the sinkhole. DPW had already dug the hole in the street, and the contractor ripped up a portion of the sidewalk, likely to get at the service pipe to the house.

When the contractor finished that job 10 or so days ago, they backfilled their large hole in the street, placing stones on the top layer (as you can clearly see).  Car and truck traffic could resume in the eastbound lane, though the stones made things a little rough.  10 days later, stones are scattered all over the street and the road is rougher.  When possible, cars regularly avoid the rough patch by travelling in the other lane.

As for the public right of way, aka sidewalk, it did not get an equal amount of attention.  Not much attention at all, actually. 10 days after work ceased in front of 519 State, there are still 3 orange DPW cones surrounding a missing sidewalk with a 3-inch drop onto stones.  (Why are there DPW cones surrounding a large and deep hole in the sidewalk that DPW had nothing to do with?)

The contractor made an effort (albeit lame) to make the street passable, but they did not make a similar effort with the sidewalk.  And the City of Hudson is perfectly fine with this, for however long the contractor wants to take before making the sidewalk once again passable.

Is this acceptable after
all street excavations?

Below is a copy of the terms attached to all DPW Street Permits issued to contractors who wish to excavate our streets.  I have no idea if the contractor at 519 State was issued a permit before they began work in the hole DPW dug, but let's assume they were.  According to the terms:  At completion of work, [permittee] shall backfill 1 1/2 - 2 inches with item #4 only.  After backfilling, you are required to cover the excavation with cold mix or blacktop.  The contractor at 519 State did not cover their excavation with cold mix or blacktop.  They covered it with stones, likely item #4 stones.

Apparently, none of this matters

And Robert Perry at DPW is perfectly fine with this.  Our streets -- getting treated with all the disrespect they deserve from a contractor who doesn't give a crap, and a city that probably doesn't give a crap, either.  Our streets -- crumbling, cracked, full of sinkholes and continually abused as if it were business as usual. 

With a DPW that is obviously not paying proper attention to contractors digging up our streets and sidewalks, how can we expect anything to improve in a city whose critical infrastructure, especially its streets and sidewalks, is continually failing us?  Is this a city that has a future?

Of course, Hudson DPW allowed the contractor at 519 State to remove a portion of the sidewalk.  But there is nothing -- not one word -- in the terms of a DPW Street Permit which refers to requirements for returning a sidewalk to usability after excavation by a contractor.  (It is called a Street Permit, after all).   No rules are stated about when a sidewalk is to be backfilled and covered or how it is to be done.  Sidewalk?  What sidewalk?  DPW wants nothing to do with sidewalks, even when they allow contractors to remove them and large portions are missing for weeks or months, all the while surrounded by DPW's own orange cones.

The subtitle of DPW's Street Permit should read:  Warning to pedestrians -- the City of Hudson and the contractor associated with this permit do not give one god damn hoot about you.

Update:  After inquiring at City Hall, the DPW clerk told me that no Street Permit had been issued for 519 State Street.  The permit, regardless of its name, does allow for contractors to excavate sidewalks.  That fee is $25.