More On All That National Grid Gas Pipe Project "Work"

Shortly after last week's Friday Features article went to press, I remembered the fifth infrastructure project currently taking place in the city.  I'm glad I had forgotten about it, because it really deserves an article of its own.  I am speaking of the never-ending work by National Grid (NG) on lower State Street.  It is absolutely ridiculous how long it is taking them to complete this two-block portion of the entire gas replacement project.  The words molasses, snails, forever and rude come to mind.

The picture above shows what NG left us this past weekend and possibly a whole lot longer.

According to my notes, NG's gas line replacement project here in Hudson officially began in the 200 block of State Street in late May, well over one year ago.  NG's subcontractor Mullen was not yet on the scene, because NG was doing the work themselves with a crew of just three.  Honestly, using the word "work" is being quite generous.  Days, sometimes weeks, would go by with machinery parked on the street and no one from NG anywhere nearby.  It turned out that the crew "working" on that block of State was being called off to deal with emergencies elsewhere in the region - they were not at all devoted to concentrating on their project on State Street.  NG finally finished up on that block in late November!  That's right, it took them six months to lay pipes under the south side of the 200 block of State (and a bit of 3rd north of State).  And they left a messy, rough, ugly street surface for Bob Talham of Troy to repave.  That final bit of work happened in early May, 11 months after NG began "work" there!  One block took nearly a year to complete!  The intersection of State & 3rd, however, is still an insulting mess, especially for pedestrians. 

Above is a picture I took early last week of NG excavating on the south side of the 300 block of State in front of the pocket park.  According to my notes, NG began digging their trench for that block -- beginning at 4th Street -- on Monday, May 6th, nearly three months ago.  The main pipe was installed for the entire block, taking over two months.  Then they took a break of a week or more, and a few weeks ago they began replacing individual service lines to houses.  Once again, they are taking their sweet time, and that portion of the project will not be finished until Bob Talham, Inc. of Troy comes back to Hudson and paves over NG's excavations to make the street and sidewalks as smooth or smoother than they were prior to three months ago.  I'm thinking that won't happen before the end of August.

What takes NG months to accomplish themselves takes Mullen a few days to complete -- I am not exaggerating.  Why NG is doing their own pipe installation work anywhere in Hudson is beyond me.  It doesn't seem right, especially if they already have a contractor doing the same work on other streets in town!  Why our DPW superintendent and useless mayor are allowing NG to take their sweet time and not have Mullen do the work instead is not beyond me.  In fact, it makes perfect sense.  Neither of those guys cares if a utility company takes several months to finish one block of pipe replacement work with machinery parked 24/7, parking spaces off limits, gravel in the road for months, orange cones and work signs everywhere, lanes narrowed and the street in horrible condition.  What's the problem with those annoyances and inconveniences for just 8 months or a year when someone else could handle it in one week?  Remember, DPW Superintendent Robert Perry never warned anyone that this work was coming or how long it might take.  NEVER!   Clearly, he had other things on his mind. 

Temporary asphalt covering NG's trench
 on State west of 4th, awaiting permanent
asphalt from Talham.  If the work in the 200
block is any indication, it could be
several months before this is done.

If you have not had the pleasure of seeing, walking over or bicycling over the lovely concrete that Talham left us at the intersection of 4th & State after covering Mullen's recent work on N. 4th Street, I suggest you go have a look for a special WTF moment.  Those divots and deep (!) footprints in the eastbound lane of the street and in the pedestrian crosswalk have been there since July 3rd, over three weeks ago.  I'm not exaggerating when I say that if you hit one of those divots/holes while on your bicycle, there is a very good chance that your bicycle, your body, or both will be damaged, perhaps severely.  Step in one of the footprint holes during the day or night and you may never walk comfortably again or at all.  Of course, while those hazards may inconvenience a driver and cause a bit of damage to a car's suspension, they won't hurt or kill any drivers or passengers in cars running over them.  This is yet another clear sign of the city's woefully inadequate and missing approach to pedestrian and bicyclist safety.  

The lack of leadership and common sense at City Hall is frightening, and it is only getting worse.  The pictures below prove it.

What kind of fucked up, lame ass paving 
company leaves this shit behind?  Oh, that 
would be that company from Troy, Talham!

Difficult to see in picture and in reality
(esp. at night) nasty bicycling hazards!
Thanks, Talham!  Thanks, DPW! 
(the busy intersection of 4th & State)