Utility pole location
Utility pole location
(OP)
I hope you folks will forgive a question from a traffic engineer, but why is it that utility poles are often placed on the outside of highway curves? Sometimes, it seems the road is intentionally crossed to do so.
This is a serious question. Every year, over 1000 people in the U.S. alone are killed in collisions with utility poles. Placing poles in a place they are more likely to get hit does not make sense to me.
This is a serious question. Every year, over 1000 people in the U.S. alone are killed in collisions with utility poles. Placing poles in a place they are more likely to get hit does not make sense to me.
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"Come to think of it, there are already a million monkeys typing on a million typewriters, and the Usenet is NOTHING like Shakespeare.
Blair Houghton






RE: Utility pole location
RE: Utility pole location
So for a typical utility pole, this guy and anchor will be 15 feet (5m) or more from the base of the pole. If the pole were on the 'inside' of the turn, the anchor would be onto the road allowance (maybe onto the paved portion). Obviously, this is unacceptable.
Therefore the utility then has to run an overhead crossing guy to another pole on the far side of the road which will have the 'down' guy to satisfy the first pole's guy requirements.
Therefore, we still have a pole on the 'outside' of the bend in the road, PLUS a pole on the inside of the bend: More costs, and TWO obstructions on the roadside.
Locating the pole on the outside of the bend is actually LESS obtrusive to traffic.
RE: Utility pole location
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"Come to think of it, there are already a million monkeys typing on a million typewriters, and the Usenet is NOTHING like Shakespeare.
Blair Houghton
RE: Utility pole location
Cost. Breakaway pole bases would only be applicable to steel poles with concrete foundations. These are much more expensive (even without breakaway bases) than wood poles or direct embedded steel poles.
Guyed poles on curves do not have to withstand moments. The loads (mostly from wire tension) are held by the guys; pole loads are vertical column loads.
RE: Utility pole location
Also, I was referring to moments from wind and ice loads to unguyed poles. A test site in Massachussets survived a nor'easter that took down the conventional poles on either side.
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"Come to think of it, there are already a million monkeys typing on a million typewriters, and the Usenet is NOTHING like Shakespeare.
Blair Houghton
RE: Utility pole location
RE: Utility pole location
... if the protection is working correctly
... if the impedance of the wire-earth contact is low enough
... if the wire is actually on the ground and not just lowered
... if the distribution system is not delta-connected
Bottom line: utilities design their systems to keep the wires way up high where the public can't touch them. Here in Ontario these poles may be supporting voltages of 44,000 Volts. If I have to choose between protecting a careless driver from self-injury, and protecting everybody else, guess which way I'll choose?
RE: Utility pole location
RE: Utility pole location
Of course, they will be swinging wildly back and forth across the road. Doesn't sound too safe to me.
RE: Utility pole location
Mike Cole mc5w at earthlink dot net
RE: Utility pole location
RE: Utility pole location
I'm dealing with two locations. The first is a sharp (100 ft radius) left curve at the bottom of a hill. Let's call the pole at the beginning of the curve pole #1. Pole # 2 is in line with apporaching traffic, and pole 3# is at the end of the curve. In three run-off road crashes in 15 months, pole # 2 was hit twice, and pole # 3 was missed by inches.
The other location has a pole that's been hit twice, even though it's on the inside of the curve. Go figure.
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"Come to think of it, there are already a million monkeys typing on a million typewriters, and the Usenet is NOTHING like Shakespeare.
Blair Houghton
RE: Utility pole location
RE: Utility pole location
Actually, guiderail is the second-to-last alternative when dealing with roadside hazards. The alternatives in order of preference are:
1. Remove the hazard (bury utilities or move them to alleys - both very expensive)
2. Relocate it to a location where it is less likely to get hit (probably the best option for utility poles where feasible)
3. Modify it so that it is less dangerous if it does get hit (breakaway poles)
4. Shield traffic from the hazard with guiderail
5. Warning signs or delineators to keep people away from it. (PA DOT is studying the effects of 4" wide reflective bands on utility poles. - a cheap measure that may be cost effective)
Also, most of our roadways are "three-rod roads." Our right-of-way is 49'6" wide. Even If we use rail, there isn't always enough
You might be interensted in a new Transportation Research Board report - A Guide for Reducing Collisions Involving Utility Poles, at h
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"Come to think of it, there are already a million monkeys typing on a million typewriters, and the Usenet is NOTHING like Shakespeare.
Blair Houghton