Ugly utility poles.

[maxus]

Is it me, or does San Antonio have the most numerous amount of early 20th century brown utility poles on the planet? Take a picture from anywhere in the city and you'll get them propped up somewhere. How much would it cost to bury these suckers along the ten busiest roads in SA? Please don't say it adds charm. It's like saying North New Braunfels Avenue should keep it's potholed pavement since it reminds you of why SA is still in the early 20th century.

[spursfan]

Originally Posted by maxus

Is it me, or does San Antonio have the most numerous amount of early 20th century brown utility poles on the planet? Take a picture from anywhere in the city and you'll get them propped up somewhere. How much would it cost to bury these suckers along the ten busiest roads in SA? Please don't say it adds charm. It's like saying North New Braunfels Avenue should keep it's potholed pavement since it reminds you of why SA is still in the early 20th century.

I hadnt paid much attention until a few days ago. It really does look pretty bad along 281. Is this a problem in other cities?

[matthew2109]

Austin has the same problem too

[mersar]

Cost is usually the main deterrent to burying the utility lines. I'm doing some consulting for a developer building a small recreation community outside Calgary, and we've got about a kilometer and a half (roughly 1 mile) of utility lines that we're burying and its costing a small fortune as I understand it. In urban areas I tend to see them buried only when they are in the way of some development, or more commonly road widenings. That said, it does look much better when its done.

[oldmanshirt]

This bugs me too, especially around the Alamo Hts/UIW area. What bugs me even more, however, is the preponderance of traffic lights hanging from wires, even at major intersections. Trashy!

[KeepSanAntonioLame]

I think the city of AH might eventually bury some power lines along Broadway, but not anytime soon.

[Texas Tuff]

SA is certainly not alone on this stuff, that's for sure. I have seen streets or freeways lined with massive amounts of utility poles in Houston, Dallas, Austin (and many other cities for that matter). It's a shame because it really is ugly, no matter where it is.

[priller]

Originally Posted by mersar

In urban areas I tend to see them buried only when they are in the way of some development, or more commonly road widenings. That said, it does look much better when its done.

I've noticed that, too. I wonder if that's a law in Austin? Because all the recently developed blocks have buried lines, where the poles (and wires) are still there on the older undeveloped lots.

And I wonder if that only applies to downtown. Because 5th and 6th streets just out of downtown are still a rats nest tangle of wires. For example:

[SecretAgentMan]

-

[chadpcarey]

We are relocating about 550 linear feet of poles/lines along Broadway for our project. The cost is around $300K, and we're not even replacing actual lines underground (we're just building a duct bank for future lines, if necessary, and removing poles and other equipment). So, yes, it's incredibly expensive.

For example........if all the lines along Broadway from 4th St. to Austin Highway were replaced.........it could easily cost $20MM. So, if we did this on the 10 busiest roads in SA........well.........you get the idea.

Relocation of lines in River North is a priority for TIF funds, though.

Chad.

[maxus]

What "project" are you referring to on Broadway? What are the details?

[sirkingwilliam]

The 1800.

Chad, do you have any renderings up for it?

Also, I wonder what the best way to get the 250-300 for putting the lines underground would be?

Any suggestions?

[Boquillas]

You can get rid of 'em if you want to, but I'll just go take pictures of the areas where they're still around. They make photos better Texture, place, time, culture, all that jazz. I like it.



...see?

[chadpcarey]

Maxus: Our project, The Eighteen Hundred, was referenced in another thread. You should be able to search for it.

SKW: Tell me how to post pictures on here and I'll show what I have. We actually don't have tons of renderings, and the ones we have aren't paticularly detailed (we just went straight into construction drawings).

With regards to getting the $300K, we worked with COSA for a grant/loan that will be repaid with future ad valorem taxes (specific to our project). The city came through - staff and council are really serious about finding ways to get these projects off the ground.

Chad.

[sakyle04]

Originally Posted by Boquillas

You can get rid of 'em if you want to, but I'll just go take pictures of the areas where they're still around. They make photos better Texture, place, time, culture, all that jazz. I like it.



...see?

this is a familiar view. i can almost hear the jingling bells of the el paraiso man...

i agree actually. are the poles (in an of themselves) ugly? yes. but are they are they really a beautiful part of the urban mix and an important component of the texture of this place we live? yes.

there are so many things that coalesce to allow us to live the lives we do - sometimes they aren't the most beautiful things, but they are nice ot see every once in a while. if nothing else, they remind us of the complexity of the place we find ourselves - and maybe thats a good thing.

[dollaztx]

Originally Posted by sakyle04

this is a familiar view. i can almost hear the jingling bells of the el paraiso man...

What's that?

[sakyle04]

Originally Posted by manuelpr

What's that?

the el paraiso man is the "ice cream man" of some largely hispanic neighborhoods that rides a bicycle with a dry-ice cooled ice chest and a row of jingling bells on the front of it - and his ice chest is full of mexican-style fruit and ice cream bars. sooooo good.

http://www.yelp.com/biz/el-paraiso-i...am-san-antonio

anyone else have el paraiso experience?

[alexjon]

Originally Posted by sakyle04

the el paraiso man is the "ice cream man" of some largely hispanic neighborhoods that rides a bicycle with a dry-ice cooled ice chest and a row of jingling bells on the front of it - and his ice chest is full of mexican-style fruit and ice cream bars. sooooo good.

http://www.yelp.com/biz/el-paraiso-i...am-san-antonio

anyone else have el paraiso experience?

Lime, pickle and coconut were my favorites. I'm such a burrito haha.

[sakyle04]

Originally Posted by alexjon

Lime, pickle and coconut were my favorites. I'm such a burrito haha.

pickle is a tell-tale indication...also obvious cultural markers: pina con chile, horchata, and lucas.

[KeepSanAntonioLame]

PICKLE IS THE BEST

That is all.