SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — For years, ABC 10News has been reporting on the City of San Diego’s plans to put its power lines underground.
It’s part of a push to make the city safer and nicer to look at.
Friday morning, city crews pulled one of Rolando’s last utility poles out of the ground. This, after installing three miles of power lines underground.
City leaders say they took out 47 utility poles in the area over the last few months. The new underground lines serve more than 300 homes along almost three miles of city streets.
The streets that got new power lines will also get new fresh asphalt, new curb ramps, new streetlights and more trees.
Efforts like this have been happening around the city for years. City leaders say it solves a lot of problems, like improving how the neighborhood looks.
Putting lines underground can also help with public safety, since they aren’t a fire risk and drivers can’t crash into them.
But the city says projects like this can take years and millions of dollars, paid for by a surcharge on your SDG&E bill.
So some people who live in Rolando told ABC 10News they’re frustrated about how much time and money it’s taken to get the power lines underground — when they have other concerns like the condition of the roads.
“I can attest you everyone in this neighborhood is so frustrated with the city with the lack of maintenance on the streets. It’s horrific, absolutely horrific,” said Cheryl Badger, who lives nearby. “And we’ve been told for a year and a half that the streets are going to get redone.”
SDG&E says they haven’t repaved the streets yet because that can only happen once all of the utility poles were gone.
Since the pole was removed Friday, the city says repaving in Rolando will start next month. Resurfacing the roads could take several weeks to complete.
The City of San Diego has a map showing where lines have been placed underground, and which other neighborhoods have similar projects in the works.
Click here for more information.
