Bicycle Fixation Weblog
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03/15/2011: "Hudson River Update IV/Asphalt Death Cake II"
The Hudson River, at 4th & Hudson on LA's 4th Street Bike Route was flowing again today, though it seemed to be lawn watering overflow rather than the notorious sump pump from the house at 345.But the Asphalt Death Cake remains, somewhat diminished by the passage of speeding cars (despite the stop sign, "scofflaw motorists" roll through and hit it pretty hard); it now appears to have devolved to a knife-edge island, which you see peeking through the water in this photo which I took this morning.
I'd guess the water's five inches deep there at least. Today it was too muddy to see into even when I was standing in the street right by it.
Here it is:
A week and a half after I called it in to the Bureau of Street Services.
I know we're in a budget crunch...but they have spent more, I'd guess, repairing this pit haphazardly six or eight times in the last couple of years than they would have fixing it properly once.
Penny wise, pound foolish. And thoroughly dismissive of the constituents who use this street--which includes many, many bike commuters.
Note: As of March 16th, the Death Cake has vanished entirely--though whether it was intentionally removed or just pounded out by the hammering of countless car wheels, I don't know. The buckled concrete Death Pit remains, as does the pea gravel and assorted debris.
