Utilities infrastructure should be built underground, not over

While I am pleased that Con Edison beat their two days’ estimate to restore service this past weekend, could this be a good time to review Scarsdale’s overall infrastructure strategy? Most visitors from European developed countries remark upon their visits to Scarsdale how odd it is that we have all these overhead wires that are generally characteristic of Third World countries.

There has been dialogue between our village government and Con Edison about possibly piloting an underground alternative to our rats’ nest network of telephone pole wiring. (Note that the least important use of the poles now is for telephone service.) Given the additional government funding for infrastructure renovation, can’t we negotiate more strongly with Con Edison and others to adopt an incremental process for moving the electric and other wiring underground? Crane-Berkeley does not have to be the only neighborhood with underground utilities. Sure, it will require inter-company coordination, and maybe even some shared funding; but why can’t we take the lead in making the business case for this to be done sooner rather than later? Each time that a portion of road is being dug up for whatever reason, that is the rational time to move that section of wiring underground.

There’s an opportunity for leadership here, to be more forceful than just raising the question in once-per-year meetings with Con Edison.

Hoping for reduced power outages due to downed power lines.

Michael Otten

Stonehouse Road

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Mainly sunny to start, then a few afternoon clouds. High around 85F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph..

Partly cloudy skies this evening will give way to cloudy skies and rain overnight. Low 69F. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall around a half an inch.

Updated: August 6, 2023 @ 10:47 am