3 Feet Two Inches!

A Chronicle Of "Progress," "Improvement" and ADA-Compliance, Hudson City Hall Style

The two recently installed curb ramps at the intersection of South 3rd & Cherry Alley are a result of the U.S. Department of Justice's 2019 (Rector era!) "settlement agreement" with the city to make our sidewalks and curb ramps at and near essential city services ADA-compliant. The curb ramps with red ADA mats in front of the Hudson Youth Center showed up late last fall, I believe, no more than 8 months ago. I remember watching the concrete work being done by a contractor I was not familiar with, and they must have been one that the city hired. (DPW had nothing to do with the work as they don't do sidewalks!) Outside of CHIP's-related curb ramp work, I think these are the first two (and possibly only) ramps resulting from the DOJ settlement agreement, though I could be mistaken.

Why Would They Bother?

 

This morning, across Columbia Street from the farmers market, I did my best to get the attention of both Hudson police officers in the two HPD vehicles in succession that passed a white car parked on Columbia headed in the wrong direction (I won't say it was parked on the wrong side of the street since there is no parking ever allowed on the south side of Columbia).  My efforts were in vain -- both cop cars (SUV's really) continued past 6th Street, though the officers driving were in no rush to get anywhere. 

"We Didn't Intend To Actually Run A Utility Company." Actually, Mr. Perry, You Aren't!

During his DPW report at the April 2025 Common Council meeting, Superintendent Rob Perry whined about the responsibilities his department was now taking on after the city "purchased the streetlights from National Grid for $300,000 last May."  He went on:  "Obviously, we didn't intend to actually run a utility company of our own.  What we found out is that National Grid doesn't migrate the lights from the old poles to the new poles.  There's any number of issues that go on with the electrical services and the technology.  You know, we have a local electrician that basically we've dedicated to all thing streetlight."  Perry added that there was all sorts of inventory to purchase, from "cobra arms" right down to bolts.  "We don't have anything, because, quite frankly, in the city's history, we never had to deal with it before. So, this is a kind of a bottom-up approach.  But it is something we are working on a permanent solution for, and we should get all these streetlights up and running hopefully in the next couple of months."

When Is Enough Enough? Or Too Much?

This morning on North 5th at Washington Street, a crew of utility workers was busy working on lines atop a National Grid utility pole.  There were two guys up above and at least three below, all working for a company called D & D Power out of Latham, NY, in Albany County.  Lots of trucks and vehicles, lots of cones and signs, lots of noise, lots of diesel exhaust. There were also 3 traffic flaggers who were working for a flagging company.  One sidewalk was closed, as was one lane of traffic.

Can Someone Help Me Make Sense Of This? PLEASE!

 

Who decided that these sharrows and arrows were appropriately installed on Front Street?  (A pair of arrows without a bicycle is not a sharrow!  I don't know what they signify by themselves!)  And who at City Hall agreed to all of this?  Anyone?  People who don't know what the hell they are doing and likely don't even own a bicycle, that's who!  

Follow the arrows and die, fool!  Hope you enjoyed your ride!

A Quality Of Life Issue That Ithaca Understands and Acts On But Hudson Does Not

 

The first of the graffiti currently on the wall of the house adjacent to the pocket park in the 200 block of Warren appeared at least 3 months ago, possibly much longer.  Someone has added more paint since.  That wall seems to be a popular target for taggers -- an attractive canvas, if you will.  Perhaps the most prized canvas in town.