Published: March 12, 2008 02:23 am            

WHAT'S YOUR PROBLEM: Street sign woes revisited

At LaGrange and Pine streets and LaGrange and Saxton streets, the sign still reads “LaGrance.”

This problem was first noted in a November 2006 edition of “What’s Your Problem,” when a reader complained that the signs could cause confusion for people trying to follow directions into the city.

In January 2007, the problem was revisited. Streets Superintendent Mike Hoffman said at the time that he would notify the city sign shop immediately.

Hoffman said Tuesday that the signs were painted over last year to make the Cs into Gs, but the paint has since worn off of the sign, making them look like Cs again.

“They brought them down and repainted them,” he said. “Now the paint’s wearing off and they just gave to redo it. ... We can go do it again.”

The signs were originally made incorrectly by inmates, he said.

“These go back a long, long time ago,” he said.

Green and North Transit

On Feb. 27, “What’s Your Problem” noted the absence of a street sign at the corner of Green and North Transit streets.

Hoffman said the heavy snow this weekend put a damper on any plans for putting up new signs, but he expects the problem to be fixed in the next few days.

“We had to make (the sign),” he said. “We’re going to have to clear the snow away to make sure we don’t hit anything when we put it up.”

Nicholls Street

In the Jan. 16 edition, “What’s Your Problem” noted some spelling confusion on Nicholls Street.

Until last month, the sign at the intersection with South Transit Street said “Nichols,” while just down the hill, the sign at State Street said “Nicholls.”

Since then, the sign at South Transit has been replaced, so both signs now have the double-L spelling.

There was some confusion over which was the correct spelling, with “Nichols” in the streets directory and “Nicholls” on city maps.

Niagara County Deputy Historian Craig Bacon said “Nicholls” is most likely the correct spelling.

Bacon referred to a letter written in 1978 which references Mark Anthony Nicholls, a resident who died in 1917 and “owned many acres of land between Minard and Willow streets.”

“A street ran through the land and was named in his honor — Nicholls Street,” the letter said.

City Clerk Richard Mullaney agreed that the street was named for Nicholls.

Contact reporter April Amadon at 439-9222, ext. 6251.

        

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