Bury Those Lines
Michael Rosenthal
Publisher
Santa Monica sure seems to have a lot of money these
days.
So I’m tossing my top long term quality of life
proposal into the mix. I
think it’s time to bury the utility lines. Though it’s a big
project, the cost can be amortized over many years and it will cost
citizens just a few dollars a year.
Virtually every
new development places its utility lines underground, because
it’s safer and healthier, as well as being plain sensible, as lines
are not exposed to the elements and maintenance is easier.
But my primary interest is aesthetic. Our streets and
skies are cluttered with these hideous, ungainly and obnoxious poles
(actually, I sort of like
the poles, it's the wires I don’t like).
When you drive from a neighborhood slashed by the
lines to one whose lines have been buried, there is an immediate
calming effect as you pass by palm trees instead of utility poles.
Santa Monica has been pretty good about its main
corridors. Most are clear of poles and in some cases trees have been
planted. A good idea indeed.
However, most people don't live on our main corridors,
they live on streets and overlook alleys in which utility lines and
poles still dominate. To my knowledge, no one is actively advocating
their removal. In fact, more lines are being added all the time as
phone and cable companies battle for business.
The City of Santa Monica needs to develop a long-term
plan now that will result in all existing utility lines, as well as
new lines, being buried by a date certain along with a follow-up plan
to plant and maintain trees that will enhance our sky and air, not
befoul it.
If you don't like all those wires on your street or in
your backyard, write the
City and your utility company and demand they act now.
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