As many of you know, lots of “sidewalk work” is taking place all around town, whether it’s traffic light upgrades, or robotic parking meters and intersection improvements.
In some cases, sharp metal wires are exposed, that might lead some kids to want to play with them – and possibly take an eye out or cause a skin puncture and infection.
Watch your kids when near these sloppy work areas!
Hoboken411 reader Paul talks about an incident that took place last week near 9th & Grand.
Shoddy conditions all around led to his wife snapping her ankle!
“On Thursday night while walking to our car from Holy Thursday church services at about 8:50pm, my wife fell and broke her ankle while stepping off the curb to go to our car. The closest street lamp is at the other end of the block making this area extremely dark and the pavement is broken down to the cobblestones. This happened on the south side of 9th Street just west of Grand. I took following pictures the next day.”
“On the good side, there was a lady passing by on the other side of the street who came and stood with us until the ambulance came, making sure that my wife was protected from passing traffic as she lay on the street. I did not get her name but we are both very grateful. In addition the three EMS workers from the Hoboken Volunteer Ambulance Corp were professional, courteous and compassionate. We were very impressed.
Paul“
Hoboken411 reader Katie adds this decrepit area of town to the ongoing list of complaints…
“I’ve been a loyal 411 reader since 2008, and remember reading a number of stories about poor sidewalk conditions throughout Hoboken. From slippery to uneven, unsafe to unsanitary, I’ve got one more sidewalk complaint to add to the list – MISSING!“
“There is a vacant lot on River street between 2nd and 3rd that borders the W Hotel on one side.
Of the other three sides of the property, only one has a sidewalk. And I’m not even sure you can really qualify that bumpy lump of asphalt as a sidewalk. Not only is it full of potholes, but it’s littered with beer cans, broken glass, and trash. What’s really concerning is that this stretch of the “sidewalk” doesn’t have any lighting. The poor condition of the sidewalk makes it difficult to navigate in daylight, nevermind in the dark. But that’s not even the biggest problem.
As you’re walking downtown next to the sagging chain link fence of the abandoned lot, there are beer cans, broken glass, and trash everywhere. But here’s the kicker: As you round the corner making a left on 2nd, the sidewalk literally ends.
You now have the option of walking on a narrow dirt path strewn with trash, rocks, concrete barriers, and what appears to be electrical wires. Or, you could walk in the street. The side of the property bordering Sinatra also has no sidewalk, and doesn’t even offer a dirt path. The fence leaves only a few inches of dirt before the curb, forcing pedestrians to walk in the street.
The vacant lot is already an eyesore, but I’m surprised the city hasn’t taken action to at least build proper sidewalks and light the area. Being next to the pier, the area attracts a lot of traffic from walkers, runners, rollerbladers, and cyclists and it should have proper sidewalks. That stretch of Sinatra is also home to many popular restaurants and bars. I’ve left these establishments late at night after a few cocktails and had to cross the street or walk in the street and it makes for an unsafe situation because there is no lighting and cabs fly down that road.
It’s a beautiful area of Hoboken but the conditions surrounding the vacant lot really detract from it. Isn’t there something the city can do in the meantime until the lot is developed?”
Thanks,
Katie
411 Note: The same holds true for the sidewalk near Maxwell Place…
What do you think the city should do (besides paint more bike lanes?)
Hoboken NJ1/4/2011 Update:
411 gets results once again! Reader YipYap sent this photo in of a mini city-plow taking care of the treacherous conditions at Stevens Park this morning.
Walk at will!
See yesterday’s reports of the dangerous conditions after the jump…
[Click to continue reading the rest....]
Hoboken NJ11/18/2010:
Providing a path for the public to walk on shouldn’t be rocket science.
The premise is simple: Make sure it’s clear, level and easy & safe to walk on in most conditions, including rain & snow. Most concrete sidewalks and paved streets meet this criteria. However, some of the “add-ons” in Hoboken actually are detrimental, and create some dangerous conditions.
As you saw earlier in the week – the reason rubber/silicone ice cube trays are great, is because they’re slippery. They do not, however, make for a good walking surface, regardless of the “bumps” and texture on them. You can easily slip and sustain injury on these rubber mats that are installed throughout the city.
I recommend that all of these rubber mats either get removed entirely, or replaced with more sensible solutions like the textured bricks that are installed in other areas. They have traction and grip – unlike the rubber versions.
You know during the paving frenzy earlier this year, Thermo-plastic paint (see video) was applied to create bright, reflective crosswalks around town. The problem with these wide, smooth markings is – that they too are a slip & fall waiting to happen. Whatever abrasive content that was added to the paint to create traction wears off quickly. I’d suggest anyone who slips and falls in places like these to contact a lawyer immediately and seek restitution.
One other bad idea in Hoboken is residents who have slate sidewalks in front of their homes. While pretty & stylish, these aren’t necessarily ideal walking surfaces either, and get extremely slippery much faster in cold weather than other sidewalks made of concrete or brick. A moratorium should be enacted to prevent any future installation of sidewalks like these. Do what you want on private property, but public walking areas don’t need this silly material.
Some may say that I’m nit-picking, or to just “not walk on them.” Well, I do avoid the slippery areas because I have common sense. But others aren’t so lucky, and I wanted to put these observations on public record so we have something to refer back to once people wake up.
Report your slippery accidents waiting to happen here!
Hoboken NJ12/22/2008:
I didn’t check the Chinese calendar – but is this the year of “Lazy?”
Hoboken411 received countless emails about the lack of attention many Hoboken sidewalks received during our recent snow storm.
Like one reader near Monroe and 7th who said she almost fell as the paths were covered with an inch or two of ice, and another who was mad that not only did it seem like no one shovels or salts anymore – but also the lack of dog-dropping pickups! The phrase “sheets of ice” was used repeatedly – and others wondered – since our city is suffering financially, why aren’t they issuing tickets??
Did any of you face-plant this morning or this weekend?
