Going Underground

Regarding Robert Smaus’ Aug. 30 “In the Garden” headlined “The Pole and I”:

Undergrounding of utility lines provides tremendous advantages in terms of preventive maintenance of electrical systems, fire prevention, minimizing of accidental electrocutions and the avoidance of any utility company expense or problems with the trimming of trees.

Edison’s recent pruning of greenery at my house along the alley and under the utility lines is instructive.

Every two years, this trimming requires a crew of two with heavy-duty equipment (cherry picker, big truck for hauling, another piece of equipment for lifting the debris into the truck, etc.). Then there’s the grinding of the trimmings into chips and the hauling of this to a landfill.

It takes about six hours to accomplish the entire operation at just this one residential location.

Several years ago, when the trimming had been postponed, we had arcing and fire on the wires during a storm.

Trenching techniques for undergrounding are now technologically far more affordable than in the past. With the increasing installation of fiber optic communications systems, we now have a great opportunity to trench and underground all of our electric, telephone and cable TV lines simultaneously.

With undergrounding, long-term economic, safety and aesthetic benefits would be enormously appreciated and would consequently have a positive effect on property values.

ELLEN STERN HARRIS

Beverly Hills