The Place Where Ludington Talks

Public Safety at Intersections Ignored for Three Years in a Row in Ludington

Starting in June of 2009, I have devoted a few hours of my time twice a year in documenting the neglect that Ludington's DPW has found no time to correct in their year round employment. The Federal Department of Transportation's handbook Vegetation Control for Safety details the common sense notion that it is a duty of the governmental entity to make sure that the signs that regulate an intersection are free and clear of being blocked by trees, bushes, other signs, and anything else.

If such signs are blocked, motorists not very familiar with the area (which includes much of our summer visitors) may shoot through thinking they have the right of way, finding out too late that it isn't. Often, if the signs are blocked, so is the motorists vision up the intersecting street. And that includes the oncoming motorists vision as well.

I have seen no corrective action taking place over the last two years. I well expect the same to occur this year, since the City leadership is more safety-unconscious and impotent than ever. As usual, the obscured signs that make the list here are more than 2/3 hidden for more than half of the block. Some are much worse than the minimum. It's not only dangerous, but also holds all of us to account for the City's negligence in any litigation where the City is held responsible for an accident.

1: Madison-Melendy-W.JPG

2: Foster-Madison-W.JPG Here an RV is blocking the sign, and too close to it by law.

3: Franklin-Third-S.JPG

4: Franklin-Sixth-S.JPG Should be obvious to stop here, however!

5: Lincoln-Second-N.JPG

6: Emily-Filer-N.JPG One-way sign obscured as well.

7: Delia-Loomis-N.JPG Honest-- a yield sign is in there.

8: Danaher-George%20N.JPG Stop or Yield?

9: Brother-Franklin-E.JPG

10: Brother-Franklin-W.JPG Shape of sign is evident in #9 twin

11: Diana-Franklin-E.JPG Very thick spruces

12: Anderson-Franklin-N.JPG Drive-in school?

13: Sherman-Tinkham-S.JPG City leaders are 2 blocks away.

14: Lakeview-StMary-E.JPG

15: Quevilion-StPaul-W.JPG

16: StCatherine-Tinkham-S.JPG

17: Lowell-Rath-W.JPG Blue spruce getting bigger over the years

18: Delia-Longfellow-N.JPG Stop sign totally hidden behind the tree

19: Lavina-Lowell-E.JPG

20: Lavina-Whittier-N.JPG Trees planted near the corner

21: Emily-Stray-W.JPG

22: Lavina-Stray-W.JPG And that jeep is parked too close as well.

23: Emily-Resseguie-W.JPG

24: Emily-Ludington-S.JPG This one isn't too bad, unless you're riding high

25: Lavina-PM-W.JPG Sheriff's office in background

26: Delia-Ludington-S.JPG Lots of traffic at this blocked sign.

27: Court-Delia-W.JPG

28: Delia-Fitch-E.JPG

29: PM-Rath-E.JPG

30: Haight-Robert-W.JPG

31: Fitch-Rath-W.JPG Truck is parked too close also

32: Robert-Tinkham-N.JPG

33: Fitch-Lewis-W.JPG Tree is very dense with leaves

34: Haight-Robert-E.JPG That's #30 across the way

35: Lewis-PM-W.JPG Dodging Art Fair traffic

36: PM-William-E.JPG

37: Court-Gaylord-E.JPG No-see-um Stop sign in high traffic area

38: Fitch-Ferry-W.JPG Recent planting grows and grows.

39: Fitch-Lakeshore-W.JPG

Very visible stop sign from the south, hidden behind the information signs from the oncoming traffic. This sign remains the most critically placed stop sign located illegally beyond the sidewalk.

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Permalink Reply by Dave on July 22, 2011 at 1:20am

Wouldn't it be ironic if Shay or other members of the 'club' got into an accident at one of these intersections?

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Permalink Reply by XLFD on July 22, 2011 at 8:34pm

The irony meter would even climb higher if they did so, and then the other person who went past the obstructed sign sued the pants off the City for their injuries and the City leader's negligence.

Here's perhaps the most ironic tale ever: http://www.darwinawards.com/legends/legends1998-16.html

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Permalink Reply by Marty Redman on July 23, 2011 at 8:46pm

I read this other day and drove around today. It is hard for me to believe a city like Lud allows this to go on. I am more likely to see a city truck go by than to see these signs. Why do they sit on there hands?

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Permalink Reply by Willy on July 28, 2011 at 12:49am

XLFD
That has got to be one of the most bizarre stories I have heard, if it is true. It's really quite funny in a macabre way.

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Permalink Reply by XLFD on July 29, 2011 at 9:47pm

To gauge the veracity of this, just drive or ride through any of the intersections above while facing the direction (N,S,E,W) that is indicated. You will find about forty more signs that should have some tree trimming around them as well if you do your own research. Here's some of the previous pictures from last year, just in case you missed them: