It’s 2015, Underground Power Lines Need to Happen

Last Friday I had the opportunity to listen to Adams County Emergency Services Director John Simon as he spoke to the Quincy Exchange Club. During his comments he mentioned that some 21,800 power connections needed replacement as a result of the huge front-line wind storm that ripped through the area. As you already know, thousands of residents were without power for days.   It makes you wonder if we are way past the time when power lines and poles need to go away? The cost of last week's replacements is still unknown but you can bet it will not be inexpensive.  It raises the question of why are we not burying power lines below ground?  Oh, sure we still would have had damage to deal with but most likely we would still have our electricity.

I know there is a cost involved, but think about the advantages of power lines being buried below ground. One is they are less likely to have repairs made to them. Two is it removes the ugliness of these wires and poles and three is trees won't need to be cut out to allow the wires to go through them.

Imagine what life would have been like if the wires were underground last week. We would have all slept better, kept our refrigerators and freezers full and had less traffic problems and delays to deal with and I could go on and on.

It is 2015 and to me it just makes sense. Unfortunately, it will cost cents and plenty of them to make it happen. But, it is a time that I believe has come. A few Quincy and Adams County residents just might agree.