Anthony Palmieri wanted a warped LIPA pole replaced before it caused damage.
I reported a wooden street pole in front of my house to LIPA because it is leaning at about a 30-degree angle and I am afraid it will fall. Someone from the company came to look at it, but no action was taken. I was informed the pole was condemned over seven years ago but never removed. Can you help?
LIPA moved quickly to fix the problem after our call Monday. On Tuesday, an inspector was dispatched and he determined the pole should be replaced. LIPA spokeswoman Elizabeth Flagler said in an email the work would be done Wednesday, and a grateful Palmieri confirmed the pole had been replaced.
A metal marker with a yellow tag on the old pole indicated it was “defective” and required replacement, Flagler said. “This pole was considered low priority.” [See the marker in the video player.]
After visiting Palmieri, we started noticing that there are many utility poles on Long Island that aren’t straight. Hempstead Turnpike in Levittown is a good example.
“Over time, it is not uncommon for poles to shift several degrees due to ground conditions and loadings,” Flagler said.
But they’re not about to fall over. There’s a formula for setting them in the ground, Flagler said: “The rule is 10% plus 2-feet of the pole goes underground, so a 50-foot pole would be buried 7-feet below the surface, leaving 43-feet above ground.
To report electrical emergencies or pole damage, call 800-490-0075.
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