Utility Plan Well Underway

In the past five years, 24 miles of utility wires and poles have been removed from the skyline--part of an estimated $500-million effort to put lines underground.

The underground conversion program, expected to take 40 years, was approved by the City Council in 1990. Construction began two years later. Since then, about $28 million has been spent to complete 14 underground projects in commercial and residential areas of the city, said Jafar Taghavi, the city’s electrical engineering manager.

Completed projects include Anaheim and Harbor boulevards in the resort area, Katella Avenue and Douglass Road near the Pond, and Crescent Avenue and Loara Street at Anaheim Plaza. Intersections such as Tustin and La Palma avenues and Orangewood Avenue and State College Boulevard are also completed.

To continue this effort, the City Council recently approved a five-year, $46.8-million plan for 19 projects citywide. Those planned through 2002 include Western Avenue, which is under construction; Katella Avenue and West Street in the resort area; and State College Boulevard.

“It helps sell the city,” Councilman Lou Lopez said. “The residents feel better, the prices of homes and businesses go up and people come here to spend money because it looks nice.”

It’s also a safety issue, said Councilman Bob Zemel. “There are too many accidents with people running into poles. If electricity can be delivered to homes without unsightly, dangerous poles and wires, I think we ought to do it.”

Anaheim electric customers pay a 4% surcharge to fund the cost of placing city-owned electric lines underground. Utilities owned by telephone, cable and other communications companies pay the cost of burying their lines.

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Anaheim Underground Conversion Program

1997

Location: Western Avenue

Completion: August

*

Location: Lincoln Avenue/Brookhurst Street

Completion: October

*

Location: Broadway/Gilbert Street

Completion: October

1998

Location: Euclid Street

Completion: June

*

Location: Katella Avenue, resort area, phase 1

Completion: December

*

Location: Interstate 5 widening project, resort area

Completion: 1998-99

1999

Location: Imperial Highway/Santa Ana Canyon Road

Completion: January

*

Location: La Palma Avenue/Kraemer Boulevard

Completion: September

*

Location: West Street, resort area

Completion: December

*

Location: Ball Road/West Street

Completion: December

2000

Location: Santa Ana/Citron streets

Completion: March

*

Location: Katella Avenue, resort area, phase 2

Completion: June

*

Location: Lincoln Avenue, (Orange Freeway to East Street)

Completion: October

*

Location: State College Boulevard and Katella Avenue

Completion: November

Local Improvement Projects*

2002

*

Location: Orange Avenue

Completion: March

*

Location: Broadway and Magnolia Avenue

Completion: June

*

Location: State College Boulevard, phase 1

Completion: March 2003

*

Location: State College Boulevard, phase 2

Completion: April 2004

* Provides matching funds for special projects

Source: Anaheim Public Utilities Department