Are Broad Street Utility Poles Still Being Removed?
Times reader John Coleman asked recently what the status is of utility poles on Broad Street. It was his understanding that they were scheduled to be removed and the wires placed underground. Mr. Coleman is right — to a point. Poles in the 400 block of West Broad, where the Spectrum was built, are in the process of being removed. That project is being funded by Spectrum developer Waterford Inc., according to City Communications Director Barbara Gordon. But no other utility poles are scheduled to be removed, even though the City favors it. “While the City desires that all of the utilities along Broad Street be undergrounded, no publicly funded project exists to see this happen,” Ms. Gordon said in an email. Removing the poles brings a variety of benefits, albeit at a cost. Broad Street would be more aesthetically appealing, and sidewalks would be wider. Some utility poles take a portion of the sidewalks, which are narrow already. Routing the utilities underground in the 400 block has be
