Tom’s work with streetscape improvements, and later with economic development projects, provided numerous opportunities to work through the hurdles necessary to take down cluttered utility pole lines.
On several occasions the removal of the entire line could not be achieved but a large scale reduction in the amount of wires as well as removal of unused remnants and poles was significant to warrant the expenditure. That was in downtown Houston on Commerce St. from San Jacinto to La Branch. This photo shows the extensive effort it took over a weekend to install a new high pole line while removing old cables, installing the new system and re-energizing the customers.
Removal of overhead utilities is a significant issue for projects that gain the City’s agreement to abandon the ROW. The developer usually plans to build across the abandoned ROW and so the utilities must be relocated. Tom’s services to assist them with the abandonment application and process often included working with CenterPoint Energy, ATT and the telecoms.