Westporters worry about trees that topple in high winds, bringing down utility lines and disrupting electrical, phone and cable service for many.
But those power lines themselves are dangerous.
Marion Pietrowski writes of a concern that plenty of residents share, but that seems impossible to address.
No authority wants to — or can — claim oversight over the rat’s nest of wires, cables and poles that grow increasingly heavy and more burdened.
She says: “I constantly hear growing concern about the cable companies adding new live wires and wrapping them to the old ones, as well as leaving huge excess lines rolled up for future use, weighing down the poles, as it is apparently cheaper to do that than remove the old ones.”
She sent a few photos to illustrate her point.
But, she adds, “they’re everywhere.”
Post Road West, near Norwalk line.
Compo Road South, at Bridge Street and Greens Farms Road.
Near Luciano Park.
Saugatuck Avenue.
Sherwood Island Connector, at Greens Farms Road.
And, Marion notes, there’s another issue.
It’s easier for utility companies to place a new pole next to a damaged, rotten or otherwise unusable pole, than to remove the old one.
That too seems to be accidents waiting to happen.
One view of Saugatuck Avenue …
… and another. (Photos/Marion Pietrowski)
We just passed the 3-year anniversary of Tropical Storm Isaias.
Hurricane season is underway.
Fingers crossed …
I’ve been noticing this for a while now. It’s a danger and an eyesore that should not be allowed. Meanwhile, over on Tall Pines (Aspetuck/Taylortown) where I walk my dog in the morning, Eversource is replacing all the tall steel towers that hold the power lines. So far, they’ve torn up the trail entrance and put in a gravel road so that when I come to the end of the trail I have to climb up an embankment that’s a foot or two higher than the trail. The workers are nice, though, and they help me. 🙂
Maybe the CEO could ship in a few $ Million of he pro-ported .$19,000,000 annual salary/financial package to get rid of rotting wooden posts.
Underground utility infrastructure is the answer.
Maybe it is Jack. Better visit Westport now while you can still drive in a car. Once they start digging those trenches for those new fangled underground wires Westport becomes a walking city like it or not. Come to think of it, might be just what it needs.
This issue is very real to me, because while riding my e-bike a few months ago I encountered an old phone line that had dropped down to chest height and was stretched across the entire road in suburban Fairfield. I went pitching off the bike and had a badly swollen ankle and damage to my bike. With the help of an attorney friend, I was able to track down the current owner–a cable company. They were eager to settle.