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Citizen complaint of the day: Too many poles
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Comments
No question, it's poll
No question, it's poll pollution, and in a spot were mobility is important--were pedestrians cross the road.
No, its pole.
I assume you mean pole. But in the picture you can clearly see the edge of the completely unobstructed crosswalk ramp. All the poles are at the curb edge and leave plenty of sidewalk to comply with ADA guidelines. So not really an issue for mobility.
No,
it's someone who's a smart ass.
You rang?
Well since you called, I'd like to point out that Polish people are a great addition to our community, and anyone who complains about too many Poles is downright crazy. One kielbasa short of a picnic, I say.
Spy pole?
Spy pole?
Verizon 5G pole
Aren't these the micro cell towers for 5G service that Verizon got to install in exchange for agreeing to bring FIOS to Boston?
Poles aside, it's a worthy discussion if the city signed a good agreement there. If the towers can't be used by other carriers it's not going decrease service prices and the boxes/towers take up a fair amount of sidewalk space. (Also an eyesore, IMHO.)
Anyone know how much Verizon is paying to rent Boston's sidewalks?
Yes, they're only paying the
Yes, they're only paying the city about $2,000 per post per year. If they don't meet fios deployment goals we should all be demanding the city end the deal immediately
they're trying
...at least judging by the insane amount of junk mail (multiple per week) and door to door salespeople coming to call (4 and counting), they are certainly making an effort to saturate my neighborhood.
They're also not "5G"
But Verizon thanks you for spreading the illusion.
Yes
If it fails to take your personal information, just talk louder into your microwave or TV. :-)
4 poles
4 poles if you count the fire alarm.
And yes, that seems like too many for a tiny radius.
Pole Pollution?!
This concerned citizen has way too much time on his or her hands.
To the extent we have a nice streetscape...
... it's not because the city bureaucracy creates it without being asked; it's because people take the time to get involved.
For Christ Sake
Too many poles? Who in their right mind would ACTUALLY complain about that. Here's an idea....move to Dover, far less poles out there!!
More poles in Dover
Although they are normally called trees.
It's not a huge issue ...
But it does not take much time to publicize it either.
Just asking, but is there a financial incentive for the city to have more poles (i.e., more rents)?
Likely, if the city forced these organizations to 'play together', they would.
Who? I might.
I wouldn't use the 311 app for it; i'd attend the relevant city planning meetings at which citizens have a chance to be heard. And I'd ask whether anyone had looked into hanging street signs, traffic signals, and street lights from the same pole (maybe there's a good reason why they're separate; I'm sure I'd find out by asking). If the answer was, "because different agencies do the different poles and we don't coordinate," then I'd complain, as a taxpayer, about my dollars being wasted. I'd also raise questions about whether the rent being charged for private companies to use the sidewalk to install their telecommunications gear was at full market rate; whether the same deal was open to others interested in renting sidewalk space, etc. I would come to the meeting prepared, having read the Verizon contract agreement, and the relevant City and State laws and regulations.
That's how the business of a government that works for the people gets done.
I'm totally on the side of
I'm totally on the side of person who complained about too many poles. If YOU don't appreciate residents voicing their opinion about what's happening in THEIR neighborhood then YOU move to Dover! Or, of course you could just bury your head in the sand and bitch anonymously online.
beats me
but the weld job on that "spy" pole is atrocious
Imagine!
Poles on an urban sidewalk!
Maybe we can hold a fundraiser? Or perhaps some South End moms can knit some pole cozies for them.
Here's a fun idea
You can organize and participate in a wheelchair race on these sidewalks and see who can navigate all the obstacles the quickest without falling off a curb!
Those are slalom polls for
Those are slalom polls for mice in tiny wheelchairs.
hy·per·bo·le
hy·per·bo·le
/hīˈpərbəlē/
noun
exaggerated statements or claims not meant to be taken literally.
synonyms: exaggeration, overstatement, magnification, embroidery, embellishment, excess, overkill, rhetoric;
Obstacle course sidewalks in Boston
When we build obstacle course sidewalks in Boston. There's more, read the thread.
All these years
All these years people lived in Southie with no complaints. In fact they would be thankful for the light pole.
It's likely where they HAD to put it depending on what obstructions or utilities were closer to the curb. Then again, none of these newbies moving in have a clue about things like that. That's why God invented "Dig Safe."
Like most children... all they know is that they want or need.
As to the multiple poles in Boston. Well, separate companies, and separate jurisdictional issues on who can do what and who can share space or not. The John Q. Publics, and Jane Public Doe's also don't understand this.
It's not the fault of elected officials. It's the proletariat who fail to understand these finer points of how any city or township works. They seem to think these things are done as a personal affront to them.
Time, me thinks... to get a life.
And once again, ladies and gentlemen... yet another misuse of the beloved 311 system. It's getting to be a joke now. Clearly UHUB finds it a source of entertainment. I know I do.
:-)
Marty's tiny feet can't fill Tom "urban mechanic" Menino's shoes
Anyone can see with their own eyes, this is a "f*ck-it just pour the cement and put the street lights in the middle of the sidewalk" decision.
Marty the 'car guy' (as in 'I'm a car guy,' doesn't give a flip about sidewalks and protected bicycle paths.
I understand it perfectly well...
When you hear, "Well, you see, the timing of the traffic signals at that intersection is so bad that it costs commuters an extra 15 minutes to get to work or get home, because, you see, this road is a city road controlled by BTD, and that one is a state road controlled by MASSDOT, and this one over here [old days] is a parkway and controlled by DCR..," it's not time to meekly say 'OK,' and go home, it's time to say, approximately,
"You all work for the same folks, namely the taxpayers. Pick up the effing phone, call your counterparts at the other agencies, schedule a meeting, and solve the problem. Jeebus, what the hell is wrong with you that you would say 'it's impossible because of jurisdiction issues' ?"
"How any city or township works."
Umm.. Not all cities and townships work the same way. Some are extremely well managed; others not so much so. Some get things done and serve their citizens well; others are constantly stymied by jurisdictional issues, or by the utter lack of organizational imagination that comes from having people who have been there forever, don't rotate into different jobs, have never worked for another municipality or for private industry, and who have never run into or thought about any alternative approach to 'the way we've always done things.'
FWIW, I think Boston is, on the whole, decently managed. But there's still plenty of ossified 'we can't do it any better because that's the way we do it' mindset.
How dare pedestrians want a
How dare pedestrians want a sidewalk wide enough for a stroller or wheelchair!!!1!
If the light had to be placed there then take away the parking lane and widen the sidewalk. Pedestrians get screwed over a in a million little and big ways in this city in favor of drivers. I'm glad people are fighting back.
Of course
Some could complain to 311 about this (as oppose to the main complaint in this thread) noting that the ADA mandates a 42 inch clearance and suggesting that someone from the DPW get down there with a tape measure before a more litigious citizen gets there, but that's just my way of thinking.
Someone screwed up royally on this. If you read the thread, someone somehow thinks the acting head of the DPW is personally to blame. I don't think Cazazza used to personally signed off on these projects, but someone signed off on this one and they should be accountable for the result.
This is appalling
Whoever designed this and whoever approved the design (or, if it wasn't built to spec, whoever signed off or the work) all ought to be put in the stocks on Boston Common.
Or they should be required to
Or they should be required to navigate this block in a wheelchair for the month of February.
I can't believe 'pole-lution'
I can't believe 'pole-lution' didn't make it into the headline.
I can't respond to every single comment
So I'm creating a new post.
In section 3.2.3 of the document linked below, there are rules spelled out for how the Verizon Wireless is supposed to use ONS for community outreach. This outreach didn't happen in many neighborhoods I know of. Big surprise there. My voting ballot will be full of blanks again this year. Why does anyone vote for many of these pols?
Section 7.1.1 spells out the terms of payment for the city of Boston.
https://www.cityofboston.gov/images_documents/City%20of%20Boston%20%26%2...
Nobody cares if you or I vote
The city government employs 17,000 people (city employees). Add in the odd family members, and that's probably closer to 25,000 to 30,000 votes owned by the machine. Then look up the turnout for municipal elections (around 50,000), and do the math.
Nobody cares if you or I vote
The city government employs 17,000 people (city employees). Add in the odd family members, and that's probably closer to 25,000 to 30,000 votes owned by the machine. Then look up the turnout for municipal elections (around 50,000), and do the math.
Back Bay figured it out
Ha ha. I saw this discussion on Monday.
Today (Tuesday) I saw this pole in Back Bay.
Streetlight + Multiple signs + Spy/Verizon thing. All in one!
photo upload internet
Most could be combined or eliminated
I'm not sure what the current MUTCD says, but in days past, the traffic signal could be mounted on a telephone pole along with the street light and fire alarm box, eliminating most of the clutter. Fire alarm street boxes are needless since cellphones, the only argument to keep them being "don't kill the job" and "they work during a power failure." Most communities eliminated them decades ago with no problem. The Verizon apparatus could be hung high off the ground. The East First Street street lights are a disaster.
poles
Maybe it's the mother of all poles that gave birth to many baby poles. Beware - the planet may soon be taken over by poles, little ones, big ones, fat ones, skinny ones, electrifying or just plain ones.
The old poles
At least in the South End, will be removed once public works confirms that the new ones are complete - the signs on the old poles will be put on the new poles. These cell nodes are being required by the FCC.
Great news -
This is great news. What's the source?