I WISH I HAD TO MAKE THIS NONSENSE UP! Unfortunately, There's No Need To.

This car turned right on red, as it was 
permitted to do.

As Hudseen readers likely know, the improvements to the Stewart's corner were finished late last year. But as Hudseen recently reported, the intersection is missing a NO TURN ON RED sign -- a sign that was present prior to the improvements. This issue has not gone unnoticed by at least two council members, as well as the police chief.  But actually getting the sign installed is going to take a whole lot more than talk, something there has been no shortage of.  Confusing, repeated, wasted and, at times, absurd talk.  All of it fascinating, of course.

Even with a pedestrian in (or near) the
crosswalk, turning right on red is allowed.

During this past November's informal common council meeting, for the first time, 1st ward member Margaret Morris brought up the missing sign issue to Police Chief Mishanda Franklin following her HPD report. Morris took 45 seconds to describe how there used to be no turning on red allowed for southbound traffic wanting to turn onto Green Street and how dangerous the situation presently is at the intersection with drivers being allowed to turn right on red.  Franklin was under the impression that there was a no turn on red sign presently in place at the "improved" intersection.  At least 3 council members, including Morris, corrected her.  Margaret also recounted her experience attempting to turn right on red at the corner. Then she went on:

(All the dialogue comes directly from videos of the meetings)

MM:  We should have a NO TURN ON RED sign there.

MF:  Okay, I can talk to the commissioner about that. 

[Morris then re-explains how there used to be a NO TURN ON RED sign and an arrow for turns. Within 30 seconds, Franklin had repeated herself as well.]

MF:  Okay, I'll talk to the commissioner about that.  

MM:  Okay, thank you.

End of that discussion.

The pickup waited for the green 
light before turning right onto Green Street

At February's informal council meeting, Morris and Franklin resumed their discussion of the missing sign as if their discussion at the meeting 3 months prior had never taken place.  It was obvious that nothing had been done about the sign in the interim and, if Franklin had reached out to the commissioner, the commissioner had certainly not reached out to Morris.  At no point during their 2-minute rehashing of the issue did the police chief tell Morris that she had spoken with the commissioner about the missing sign, nor did Morris ask Franklin if, as she said twice that she would, she had spoken with the commissioner about the missing sign.  It would be hilarious if it weren't our City Hall so easily and regularly displaying signs of dysfunction, incoherence and unprofessionalism.   Hold on to your head, it might explode!

MM:  We talked about this a couple of months ago, about the new process in place in front of Stewart's.  And somebody brought it up last month.  When you're coming down Fairview to turn right on Green.  Okay? 

MF: I think there was a question about a right on red. 

MM:  Can we put a sign up that says NO RIGHT TURN ON RED?  Because what is happening is you cannot see the traffic... [for 30 seconds Morris repeats what she had told Franklin 3 months prior about the dangerous Stewart's intersection with the missing no turn on red sign!]  It's quite dangerous.  Is there any way to put a sign up that says NO RIGHT TURN ON RED?

MF:  I hear what you're saying and I don't disagree.  However, that is not my decision to put the sign there. 

MM:  Who would that be?

MF:  That would be the commissioner. 

MM:  Could you bring that up to him?

MF:  I can.  It becomes a conflict for me to put a sign up that we would then enforce.  That's the conflict that I have with it. 

MM:  Okay.  I see.  Could we write to the commissioner and bring it up to him? 

MF:  Yes, absolutely.  Absolutely.

MM:  Okay. All right, that's fine.  You're talking about the Public Works, correct?

(In unison, at least 4 people correct Morris by saying out loud, "NO.  The Police Commissioner!")

MM:  So, the police enforce it but the police commissioner puts it up?

MF:  Well, the police commissioner works for the city. 

MM:  Gotcha.  Got it.  Okay, now I got it.  Okay.  I got it.  So, yeah, I'll just send him an email. 

MF:  Okay. 

Gettin' it done the first time!

Margaret Morris just began her second two-year term on the Hudson Common Council.  Neither she nor any other member of the council or Chief Franklin mentioned the missing NO TURN ON RED sign during March's or April's informal council meetings. Meanwhile, 5 months after Morris raised the issue of the missing sign, vehicles are still allowed to turn right on red at the "improved" Stewart's corner where turning right on red was not allowed prior to the "improvements" being made.

Gettin' it done the second time around, 3 months later!

For more on the missing sign debacle, read here:  How To "Improve"...