Bicycle Fixation Weblog
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03/22/2011: "Hudson River Update V"
So, after two years of reports, recriminations, and repairs, the notorious "Hudson River" on LA's 4th Street Bike Route, soon (we hope) to be a bicycle boulevard, has come full circle. We see it in all its original glory, all the vain asphalt botox blown right out by flowing water and the passage of careless cars. It's the same cracked and jagged canyon that it was two years ago, when council members and departments vied to assure us that it soon would be fixed.Indeed, the permanent water flow has, to all appearances, been stanched--the water in the photo below is from two days of hard rain--but the hole, the cruel and persistent pothole, remains...waiting to break a few more arms of unwary cyclists. (It has broken at least two already.)
I stuck my Bottecchia's front wheel in it this morning, so you can see how deep it is:
And then I photographed it as it looks on wet days (which can also mean days when the blithe and wealthy denizens of Hancock Park enthusiastically overwater their lush lawns to fight off the effects of summer heat on tender grass). Pretty, ain't it?
Pretty...till your wheel goes in.
Well, I have a meeting soon with the 4th Street Bicycle Boulevard committee of the LACBC. I'm going to suggest we do some serious bitching at the city and see if we can get this fixed.
For now, it remains a constant menace.
Fourth Street is a beautiful ride and a handy crosstown route. Just be careful there, y'hear?
