DeFusco is confusco about Washington Street re-design

But those trees! Those trees!

Those Truffula Trees!

All my life I'd been searching

for trees such as these.

The touch of their tufts

was much softer than silk.

And they had the sweet smell

of fresh butterfly milk.

Mayor Zimmer is no greedy Onceler, hacking down trees to knit Thneeds (that everyone needs).

On February 17, 2016, 8 members of the Hoboken City Council, including Councilman Mike Defusco voted for an improved, safer Washington Street re-design- a resounding "Yes".

The only "No" vote came from Councilwoman Jen Giattino:

City Council President Jen Giattino was the only Council member to oppose the plan.”I personally am not comfortable with nine council members, who are not engineers, sitting here designing Washington Street,” said Giattino.

Well, that's what real engineers are for, Jen!

The City Council doesn't design hotels either, yet Giattino voted "yes" for a 24-story hotel in the Post Office redevelopment plan on April 23, 2017;  Ravi Bhalla and Jim Doyle voted "no" because of the building's excessive height.

Back on February 17, 2016  T&M, the project engineers, presented the elements of the re-design:

At the meeting, representatives from T&M Associates (the engineering firm who is heading the project) brought insight from Hoboken residents... Some favorable upgrades included synchronized lighting, new traffic signals, new water mains, ADA curb ramps, and establishing a micro-grid to act as an electrical backup system and roadway resurfacing. 

Aren't you curious why Giattino voted against so many pedestrian safety upgrades to Washington Street?

So, here we are in August and the construction is behind schedule, folks are not happy. Can you blame them?    

Further, nineteen trees were slated for removal during the construction of the Washington Street re-design; after three were removed, a public outcry to save the trees has caused the City to put a hold on the further tree removal.  Last Friday, the City announced:

City of Hoboken Release: August 18, 2017 

Meanwhile,  Hoboken mayoral candidate Mike DeFusco (who unlike Thneeds, nobody needs) boasted on a recent mailer:

“A Record of Success... As Chair of the Parking and Transportation Committee, worked with businesses, City Council and the Administration on a plan for an overhaul of Washington Street...” 

Well, Defusco must be confusco, because now he is trying to disown the Washington Street redesign which he voted "Yes" for!

Confusco DeFusco has requested  a Special Meeting to  to address "destroyed sidewalks and tree removal", telling Hudson County View:

“No one would dispute that Washington Street is in desperate need of repair, but the current administration’s handling of this vital project has raised an enormous amount of concern throughout the community,” DeFusco said in a statement. “Businesses are suffering, quality of life is being disrupted, and most alarmingly there is irreversible damage being done to our city’s character in the removal of trees and destruction of a historic bluestone sidewalk in front of City Hall.”

Um... this is Mr. Shake Shack, who wanted to put a 14 condo-unit building with a 2-story commercial space's, residential entry and commercial deliveries fronting on historic Court Street.

What about "irreversible damage" to  Court Street's character? 

Confusco DeFusco, Chair of the Parking and Transportation Committee, didn't figure out that the plan he voted for-- ripping up Washington street for new engineering and re-design-- would "destroy sidewalks and trees"?

Further, Confusco erroneously blames the City for "never looking at the report before removing the trees"...

Um,  the "report" confusco DeFusco refers to is a new evaluation for  engineering alternatives in order to save or replant existing trees.  According to the City's August 18th press release:

"We are working to save or replant existing trees where possible, including an evaluation by the project engineer to determine if possible drainage alternatives would result in keeping some or all trees. No more trees will be removed until the City has reviewed the engineer’s report."

Oh yeah, GA hears that no Special Meeting has been scheduled.