A view of Gulf Boulevard in Belleair Beach shows a jumble of overhead utility lines.
BELLEAIR BEACH – Undergrounding of utilities in Belleair Beach would be a mixed benefit for residents.
That message was delivered by utility representatives at a well-attended informational meeting on the subject Jan. 23 at city hall. A referendum vote calling for the city to look into undergrounding will take place on March 13.
Nelson Eash, manager of Progress Energy’s Walsingham Road operation, addressed the pluses and minuses of converting overhead wires to underground.
Undergrounding is costly, some 4- to 5-times the expense of overhead lines, Eash said. Putting existing lines underground, as would be the case in Belleair Beach, is even more expensive.
The cost would be paid by the city, and mostly passed on to the residents. The city also would be responsible for the reconstruction of sidewalks, streets, landscaping and other areas disrupted by the undergrounding process, Eash said.
Eash spoke of other associated costs beyond the undergrounding itself, including procuring easements, restoration of sidewalks and landscaping, trenching to individual residences, and streetlights. Undergrounding projects “take a lot of work to get done,” Eash stressed.
Repair time of an underground system would likely be longer because of the added difficulty of locating a problem, Eash said.
“We have a lot of specialized equipment to locate the problems, but it takes longer to fix than being able to see it on a pole,” he said.
Underground utilities are “not necessarily safer,” due to the hazards of digging underground, said Gail Simpson, Progress Energy manager of public policy and constituent relations. Simpson also said undergrounded utilities are very susceptible to damage by lightning and water.
“There is no data to show it is more reliable,” she said.
More than 90 percent of Verizon lines are already underground, said Raul Rivera, a lead engineer. Rivera estimated the cost of undergrounding Verizon lines to be about one-fourth to a tenth of Progress Energy’s expense.
Scott Creasy of Bright House Networks said undergrounding “is not an easy process.” It requires a lot of coordination between the utilities, he said, and obstacles, such as pipes in the way, are often encountered.
Creasy, like Eash, described undergrounding projects as “a lot of work.”
City Councilor Wanda Schwerer wanted a comparison of the failure rates of underground vs. overhead systems. Eash declined to give specifics, but said problems underground “take longer to detect.”
Undergrounding equipment in coastal areas has to be rated for saltwater contamination, adding to the cost, said Eash, responding to a question from Councilor Leslie Notaro.
Vice Mayor David Dumville asked about the performance of transformers during storms. Eash said the transformers are meant to handle a certain amount of moisture, but they are not submersible and would be vulnerable in flood conditions.
Residents attending the meeting had mixed comments on undergrounding. While some were concerned about the costs, others gave a more upbeat appraisal than the utility representatives.
J.C. Emfeld asked for the undergrounding cost estimate when the issue was looked at several years ago. Told that the expense to underground Gulf Boulevard only was $8 million, Emfeld replied, “I rest my case.”
“This thing is just way out of bounds for costs,” said Ed Soter.
Roger Maul said undergrounding is “safer for the community,” a point later refuted by Simpson.
Marvin Behm, a former councilor, said going underground is definitely a benefit. It’s more costly, but the improved appearance increases the value of the homes, he said. “You will get a big plus because people will be more interested in your home.”
Don Korte agreed with Behm, saying undergrounding “adds an intrinsic value to a property.”
A show of hands poll of attendees taken at the end of the meeting showed the majority in favor of the city looking into an undergrounding plan. The vote was 26 in favor, 11 opposed, and some not voting. The referendum outcome does not authorize the city to proceed with undergrounding, and all yes votes were not necessarily supporters of undergrounding.
Resident Jerry Smith voted in favor, but said the utilities’ presentations were “terribly weak.”
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