Why Has the City of Beacon Removed a Statue of George Washington?

You may have noticed something missing in the City of Beacon.

Those used to traveling through Beacon are well aware of the city's many road hazards. Of course, there's the infamous dummy light that has caused dozens of car crashes over the past few years. The small traffic light was originally designed to help guide travelers through a busy intersection on Main Street but has now become an obstacle of its own.

Because of its historic significance, the City of Beacon has stubbornly refused to remove the old light that sits awkwardly in the middle of the road. There have been attempts to make the light more visible by painting its base, but if the blinking light isn't getting drivers' attention, no amount of bright paint is going to help. So confused tourists continue to crash into it over and over again while locals just roll their eyes.

Beacon Road Hazard Being Removed

While the dummy light continues to claim car fenders, another tricky intersection is finally getting a much-needed redesign. The City of Beacon has recently begun rehabbing the area where Teller and Wolcott Avenues intersect, turning the awkward island sitting between them into a proper "T" intersection.

Currently, the roads meet at a tiny park that is home to a large bust of George Washington. The monument is just asking to become another dummy light, so the City has decided to intervene to improve safety for drivers and pedestrians.

While work is being done to eliminate the park, the George Washington Monument has been removed. The good news is that the statue will be returning to a new location on the north side of Teller Avenue when construction is complete. Plans released by the City of Beacon show that Washington's future home will be a new park-like area complete with landscaping and sidewalks.

It's unclear when work will be complete, but until the George Washington statue's new location is finished the monument is being kept in a safe place by city workers.