That’s Just The Way It Is: Making The Case For Utility Hardening

When was the last time you looked out the window of your home, office, or car and could take in the view without service poles, electrical wires, and telecom lines marring your vision?

If you’re from the Midwest, like me, that answer is probably simple. Never. What’s worse is that we are so used to the visual pollution and physical dangers that aboveground utility lines cause that we’ve become used to them – allowing our brains to blend them into the landscape – until a vehicle, storm, or tree downs a line and the power goes out, or we encounter one of the millions of trees that have been decimated to “make room” for overhead utilities.

The fragility of above ground utility infrastructure can have lasting effects. For instance, I have what my kids would call a “core memory” caused by random power outages. I remember sitting in the dim, candlelit basement with my parents and siblings, listening as a Sony Boombox Mega Bass Classic – running on eight enormous D batteries – played Bruce Hornsby’s “That’s The Way It Is” on repeat – the bang of the sump pump back-up keeping time with the music. Every so often, my folks would interrupt to check local radio stations to see if there was any update about when the power would return, and worked hard to convince us all that humidity, flashlights, and tinny music were fun. To this day, when I hear that song, I’m transported right back into the basement.

Have you ever seen a 100-year-old oak tree with a quarter of it hacked off to keep the power lines clear? I have. It wasn’t until I relocated to another city as an adult that I knew there was any other option but “line pruning” to make way for overhead utility lines.

‍

Thankfully, utility companies, municipalities and contractors are waking up to the benefits of undergrounding power and phone lines. This shift isn't just about aesthetics; it’s part of a broader process called utility hardening. By burying utility infrastructure underground, communities are making themselves more resilient to disruptions caused by natural disasters and other emergencies.

“The electric distribution system in America today is approximately 20% underground. Some public power utilities — like Ft. Collins and Colorado Springs, Colorado, and Anaheim, California — have had underground ordinances for years. They have beautified their cities and improved the performance of their systems,” reports T&D World.  

Undergrounding utility infrastructure not only enhances reliability, aesthetics, and safety, it also helps prevent landscapes and trees from being removed or trimmed improperly. When utility lines are buried underground:

1. Reduced Maintenance Disruptions: Undergrounding utility infrastructure reduces disruptions to communities caused by maintenance activities associated with overhead power lines. Tree trimming, line inspections, and repairs are less frequent and intrusive with underground utilities. As a result, residents and businesses experience fewer disruptions to their daily lives, leading to increased productivity and overall satisfaction within the community.
   
2. Enhanced Resilience: Burying utility lines protects them from damage caused by extreme weather events like storms, high winds, or falling trees. This resilience minimizes the risk of power outages and service disruptions, ensuring continuity of electricity supply even during adverse weather conditions. Communities can rely on underground utilities to maintain essential services, enhancing their ability to withstand and recover from natural disasters.
   
3. Community Satisfaction: Undergrounding utility infrastructure enhances community satisfaction by preserving the natural environment and improving aesthetics. Communities often prefer underground utilities for their ability to maintain the character and integrity of their surroundings while ensuring reliable service delivery. Residents feel a sense of pride in their well-maintained neighborhoods, leading to increased property values and a better quality of life.
   
4. Preservation of Natural Beauty: Undergrounding utility infrastructure eliminates the need for unsightly overhead power lines and utility poles, preserving the natural beauty of landscapes and urban areas. Removing visual clutter enhances the appeal of neighborhoods and reduces distractions along streets and scenic areas. Residents and visitors alike can enjoy unobstructed views of their surroundings, fostering a greater appreciation for the natural environment.
   
5. Protection of Trees: Undergrounding utility lines helps safeguard trees from being removed or improperly pruned to accommodate overhead lines. Trees play a crucial role in the ecosystem, providing shade, improving air quality, and serving as habitats for wildlife. By burying utility lines, the need to cut down or line prune trees is minimized. This preservation of the urban tree canopy not only enhances biodiversity but also contributes to the overall health and aesthetics of communities.

Overall, undergrounding utility infrastructure addresses concerns related to reliability, aesthetics, and safety, and contributes to the preservation of landscapes, trees, and more peaceful communities. It represents a holistic approach to utility management that considers environmental, social, and economic factors in infrastructure planning and development.

The move toward underground utility infrastructure signifies a positive shift toward more resilient, aesthetically pleasing, and environmentally conscious communities. As utility companies, builders, and communities continue to embrace this transformation, the benefits of undergrounding utility infrastructure will be felt for generations to come.