Visual Pollution of Overhead Wires

This is a second post in a series that I am writing about the visual impact of overhead wires, the ways we can reduce that impact, and state and city regulations that govern this process. 

In my first post, I looked at the economics of burying overhead wires and the exorbitant price tag such a move would carry. I concluded that despite the cost -- at one point estimated by the NC Utilities Commission to be $42 billion statewide -- a gradual phase-in of underground infrastructure is desirable because it will increase reliability, preserve tree canopy and increase property values.      

In this post, I will look at the proliferation of unsightly overhead wires that has taken place in the past two decades and the visual impact it has on our city appearance.

A significant percentage of these wires are simply passing through the neighborhood, servicing the growing business and commercial interests in the areas around Ninth Street.  These cables are an eyesore, marring the beauty of our historic neighborhood.  They also interfere with the growth and care of existing trees and limit our ability to plant new trees.

Commonly found wires on NC utility poles

 Mess of wires on Iredell Street

You may be surprised to learn that most of these wires have nothing to do with  transporting electricity. Indeed, the wires that hang at the bottom of most utility poles are cable and telephone wires which Duke Power leases to Time Warner and Verizon at the expense of the taxpayers who are subsiding these leases through state-mandated rights-of-way.  As shown on the picture above, the electric utility companies place multiple non-electric wires on their poles.

The North Carolina Department of Transportation has specific rules that outline the minimal clearance for various types of wires. Their design guidelines are published below. Based on these rules, you may be surprised to learn that the minimum clearance for "joint users," meaning cable and telephone companies, and the ground is between 18 and 15 feet for most residential streets. The 18/15 foot gap is measured at the lowest point between the two poles - i.e. the point where the wire sags the most. Yet, admittedly unscientific inspection of two streets in the neighborhood -- Englewood and Green streets -- found many places where wires hang as low as 12 feet, creating potentially dangerous conditions while adding to the visual pollution of the street.

So what can we do about this? The first (and obvious) step is to enforce existing rules. Next, the NCDOT, which has jurisdiction over the placement and design of the poles, should consider a gradual phase in of more attractive and less intrusive utility pole designs. To mitigate the cost, perhaps the new rules will apply only to replacement poles. Overtime, this will lead to a much more visually pleasing cityscape. And given that according to the new poll only 41% of Durham residents are satisfied with the city's appearance, this is not an inconsequential concern.

A good place to start is this excellent article about overhead design and how utility poles can be made attractive and even distinctive with a little bit of creativity and effort.

Is Burying Power Lines in Durham a Pipe Dream?

We all know the drill - a gust of strong wind, an unexpected ice storm or a hurricane blow past our neighborhood and a few hours later the lights go dark. If we are lucky, we get the power back in the few hours, although sometimes the power does not come on until days later. This happens every year and while some neighborhoods are luckier than others, everyone has experienced power outages at some point. But it does not have to be this way! Duke University, for example, rarely if ever experienced a power failure no matter what the weather. This is because the University had the foresight to bury their power lines, thus removing a visual nuisance while at the same time ensuring a degree of protection from inclement weather. So why don't cities like Durham follow suit?

The obvious answer is money. It would be a tremendous immediate capital cost for the likes of Duke Energy to  move their electrical infrastructure underground. But the long-term savings will accrue overtime and inure to the customers rather that the energy company itself. In an interesting interview on NPR,   Ted Kurry, the director of at the Public Utility Research Center at the University of Florida discusses the possible cost-benefit analysis of such a move. 

In short: his conclusion is that none has undertaken the regions examination of the long-term benefits of burying power lines, mostly because energy company see no particular benefit to such an expensive move in the absence of government incentives. It is a short interview well worth a read.

In addition to inconvenience, the aesthetic effect of power line-manged trees is rarely attractive (see below). The visual impact of city pruning was well covered by Bullcityrising a few years ago, so I won't repeat the arguments therein. It is a worthwhile read.