Pole Position: Dedham Select Board Against Proliferation Of Poles

DEDHAM, MA - A request by Eversource at a public hearing last week to put up a new pole at Washington and Harris streets to support underground communication wiring for the new Needham Bank site brought forth frustration from the Dedham Select Board because the community that has been advocating for the removal of double poles for months.

Double poles have arisen because new poles are added to support the aging poles before they can be removed. The utility and cable communication wires have to be placed on the new pole in a sequence, first by Eversource and then by cable companies. The delay in the transfer of wires from cable companies has led to a proliferation of poles in and around Dedham Square, sometimes banded together.

Select Board member Sarah MacDonald asked why underground wires would need an additional pole. She was told that the wires run from the pole through an air pipe that goes underground.

"There are a number of poles around that site," said Sarah MacDonald, "as we noted the last time we added a pole at the site just a couple of months ago."

The representative from Eversource noted that there has to be a new pole because the other poles provide electricity to the new bank as well as utility services to neighboring properties.

Select Board member Jim MacDonald added that there is a pole in the street at that location as well as a few poles on the sidewalk within a few feet of each other.

"I'm not going to vote to approve this right now until we see a plan to clean up that corner," he stressed. "I've been waiting for one of them to come down by Eversource or by a truck or by a car because it's that close. You've got this beautiful new bank going up surrounded by poles."

A meeting will be set up between town officials and Eversource to see how to best resolve the issue this week.

The board voted unanimously to keep the hearing open so that the situation can be revisited.