Supervisor Gromack Calls on Utility Companies to Work

Together to Move Services and Remove Old Poles

Supervisor Alex Gromack is calling on the three utility companies in Clarkstown to work together to move their services and remove old utility poles.  In an effort to protect the safety of our residents and to beautify Clarkstown, town officials have surveyed all of the double utility poles throughout the town and found an alarming number.  Today, Supervisor Gromack announced the results of the survey, ‘Operation Double Utility Pole’, in which we found 512 double utility poles. 

The three utility companies serving Clarkstown have an agreement that when Orange and Rockland Utilities installs a new pole, they must move their service from the old pole to the new pole and cut the top of the old pole off.  Cablevision is then required to move their service from the old pole to the new pole followed by Verizon.  Verizon is then responsible for removing the old pole.

Supervisor Gromack initiated ‘Operation Double Pole’ as a safety measure because in some instances a site visibility issue exists and others block the sidewalks making it hard for pedestrians, specifically handicapped residents to access the sidewalk.  There are also a number of poles that are damaged and being held up by rope posing a serious safety hazard.

Supervisor Gromack is calling on Orange and Rockland, Verizon and Cablevision to work together and develop a better protocol, to submit to the town, for relocation of services and removal of old poles.     

“We have had preliminary discussions with Verizon and they are willing to collaborate with the town to remove the old poles,” said Gromack.    

The New York State Public Service Commission has also recognized that better coordination is needed between utility companies by recently initiating a proceeding to evaluate and develop a standardized facility equipment transfer program (SAFE-T).  The town’s list of double pole locations will also be provided to the PSC.  

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