As is too often the case, OKC residents awake to find that either government or a utility is wrecking havoc with their neighborhood. In this case, O.G. & E. poured a six foot diameter, waist high concrete base for a proposed seventy foot tall metal pole to handle the power lines crossing I-235 at NW 36th Street as part of the highway upgrade . . . not poured out by the highway, but on the corner of Eubanks and Robinson . . . smack in a front yard utility easement in the neighborhood.

:fighting3 Edgemere neighborhood residents promptly contacted City, County and State elected officials as well as ODOT and O.G. & E. to ask for an explaination. As it turns out, this monstrosity had been on the drawing boards for years and the O.G.& E. work order issued several months ago without anyone bothering to meet with the neighborhood.

The initial response from the O's was that this colossasl pole was the only solution available . . . typical answer. Now that the O's have bothered to actually look into the regulations governing where Federal Money is being spent on projects adjacent to Historic Preservation Neighborhoods and look at all the possible options, they have discovered that they skipped the step of conducting the required impact review . . . ooops. The O's have now decided that they can put the power lines underground to get across the highway :bright_id rather than running them through a few front yards at seventy feet in the air.

Break out the bubbly and raise a glass to Edgemere Neighborhood for getting mad as hell and not taking it anymore. :cheersmf:

Congratulations! You CAN fight City Hall, or in this case the "Big O," and win.

OG+E needs to bury the power lines around Bricktown. They are very unsightly where they cross over the canal and they impede development of midrise buildings.

Agreed. I would like to see them start a program to bury them everywhere.