Another Road Plate About to Fall Off

As of press time, the Niagara Falls Reporter observed a road plate on 10th Street and Buffalo Avenue that was not pinned down and had slipped some two feet from its original position.

A road plate keeps motorists and pedestrians safe by covering holes dug under roads as part of road construction.

Without them, a mishap may be fatal.

In July 2011, Kevin Johnson, 44, of Niagara Falls, died after he fell into an uncovered catch basin on 17th Street between Pine Avenue and Elmwood while riding a bicycle.

Contractors working on the road said the road plate used to cover the basin was stolen.

Road plates have four holes on the outside corners so they can be pinned down into the pavement. Then they won't be stolen and won't slide away.

This simple, obvious, safety procedure would have prevented Johnson's death.

As one can see from the picture, the road plate has moved.

The rust stains on the road show that. One can also see there are no pins holding it down. This could quickly become a dangerous situation.