Jackson electric poles too tall, say residents

Several Jackson landowners and residents along East Main Street are upset about the city's decision to run huge, 65- and 70-foot steel electric poles and lines through their residential neighborhoods.

City officials say the project is necessary to meet the demands of a growing population and that the costs were too high to bury the lines underground.

The poles are among the largest in the city of Jackson, the same size as the wood poles along much of East Jackson Boulevard. And they're the first steel poles to be erected in the city. Don Schuette, the director of electric utilities, said the poles will one day be connected to the electric substation near the city limits off the boulevard.

They'll extend almost all the way out to the interstate -- when Main Street is also extended -- and take a right turn where Old Orchard Road will one day connect with East Main Street. The substation is located just off Old Orchard Road.

Schuette said the new line will become the city's primary source of electricity. Currently, the main line that feeds the city runs along East Jackson Boulevard, the city's busiest commercial strip.

"Within the next few years, we'll reach the capacity on that line," Schuette said. "Building this new line gives the city some flexibility for growth and flexibility for storm situations."

Drawing static

As useful as the new line might be, that doesn't quell the criticisms of many who live or own property in the area.

"I don't think anybody who lives in east Jackson is happy with it," said John Lichtenegger, a Jackson lawyer and developer who owns property in the East Main Street area. "Even people who come from out of town don't like it. They say they've never seen anything like that built in a small town like Jackson."

Much of East Main Street is undeveloped. But there is a large section around Lacey Street that is lined with new roomy brick duplexes and senior apartments.

"I think they're ugly," said Vicki Abernathy, who lives in one of the duplexes. "If I owned this building, I'd be pretty upset."

Abernathy's neighbor, Susan Harlan, who used to work in the economic development business, agreed.

"It's unfortunate they did that," she said. "If I were a landowner, I'd be concerned about my property values decreasing. It takes away from a really nice environment here."

Schuette said the city looked at burying the lines, but that it was much more expensive. The section of steel poles that was just put up is the second phase of a three-phase project. Tall wooden poles were part of the first phase and were erected on the west side of Shawnee Boulevard.

The second phase, which was just completed, cost the city $225,000, Schuette said. To bury the lines, the city would have paid $1.5 million.

"A lot of folks are upset and complaining about it," Schuette said. "And many of them have discussed it rationally with me and let me know they didn't like it. And I appreciate the chance to explain it to them. When everything was taken into consideration, to be fiscally responsible, this was the best choice and how we decided to proceed."

Besides the costs, Schuette said, it's easier to maintain lines on wires. While the lines aren't subject to wind and limbs when below ground, he said water breaks down the wires' coating and can cause blackouts without any warning.

He said the city chose the metal poles because they're more resilient and easier to install than wooden poles. He said the steel poles, while more expensive, do not require lines anchored in the ground to support them. The freestanding steel poles will stand up to weather better and last longer than wooden poles.

He said about half the poles will eventually support street lights as well.

When Alderman Larry Cunningham was asked what he thought when he first saw the poles, he said, "I don't like it. But you have to be reasonable."

Mayor Paul Sander agreed.

"I don't particularly care for the sight of them myself, and I live in the area," Sander said. "But it's an economic decision. Sure, it would look better if they weren't there, but it wouldn't be doing justice to the other citizens in town to spend a million dollars to bury a line and not bury lines in other areas of town where they live."

bmiller@semissourian.com

243-6635