The red underneath the ice and snow on the sidewalk in front of the Hudson Youth Center on South 3rd Street that you can see in the picture taken today, 4 days after less than one inch of snow fell, is a brand new ADA curb ramp detection pad. It was installed about a month ago by the city-hired paving contractor who completely replaced at least 5 feet of that sidewalk to bring it up to ADA compliance to satisfy one of the Department of Justice's many demands to improve our sidewalks for EVERYONE, including the disabled.
Surrounding the red mat, and also underneath 4 day old ice and snow, is brand new concrete designed to keep people on their feet and in their wheelchairs. I'm thinking that Liz Yorck is under the impression that DPW is supposed to clear the sidewalks around the Youth Center, and that Rob Perry thinks (or has decided) that the Youth Department is responsible for clearing and salting their own sidewalks, including on the 300 block of Union behind the building.
The city was forced to hire that paving contractor to improve the sidewalk in front of what is known as an "essential city service." How do we know that those essential improvements weren't made because someone at City Hall thought it was a good idea? Because 4 days after less than one inch of snow fell late in the year 2024, the city still doesn't feel the need to keep all of its sidewalks free of ice and snow, and its residents and children out of the fucking hospital or morgue.
Our big picture/city-wide sidewalk disaster problem will never be solved as long as the 20th century head-in-the-sand thinking and approach from City Hall is alive and well, regardless of how much money is spent or how many consultants, attorneys, committees, engineers and paving contractors are hired and involved. As long as there are city-owned sidewalks covered in ice and snow like the one above, without proper attention we will continue to take one step forward and two steps back, perhaps falling flat on our collective brains along the way.
HUDseen's laptop is experiencing technical difficulties as of today -- IT'S DEAD! Please be patient while another is found.
Happy Holidays and Happy New Year!
Bill
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