Edgemere Neighborhood, 1 - O.G & E. Zip
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.
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 
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. 
The Old Downtown Guy
It will take decades for Oklahoma City's
downtown core to regain its lost gritty,
dynamic urban character, but it's exciting
to observe and participate in the transformation.
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