Carrollton, Texas
Carrollton Street Lamp Issues
As many may know already, most Street Lamp Poles in our neighborhood and throughout the City of Carrollton are in bad shape from years of UV and weathering. This is a city wide issue if you look around. Many homeowners have complained to me over the years and we are in the process of having our poles repainted. These poles are actually the property of the Electric Company. TXU/Oncore. They are not maintained by the city, but by TXU/Oncore. The company does a fair job when the poles are reported out and has the unlit units fixed in a few weeks usually. If they are knocked down, then a few months we get a new one. The nice thing is that the new ones look good! The older polls are in such bad shape they have become an eyesore. Just drive through any neighborhood in N. Carrollton and you will see these badly weathered poles. They are in desperate need of help BUT I have been unable to get the company to do anything about them. If you see a lamp out you may go to this site below to report outages. I try and do the ones I see but the more reports from different people, possibly the better the response;
http://www.oncorgroup.com/community/streetlights/form.aspx
To fix the weathered poles is another issue. To repaint the weathered ones, we have a quote that was generated by Teri Nix (Beautification) for roughly 89.00 per pole. We have 18, but not all are in need as a few have been knocked down over the past few years in the winds, cars, etc. This is roughly $1600.00 of HOA money to make these poles look acceptable. I am also approaching the City of Carrollton on this issue to see if we can qualify for some "Grant Match" money to help out. Now my main reason is to try and get the city to pressure Oncore to refinish these poles as they are their property! I do not think it should be our responsibility to take care of these lamp poles, nor the City of Carrollton's. Possibly with this approach, not only will we get the poles in our neighborhood looking better, but the entire city of Carrollton!
Here are the photos of what a good pole looks like and a bad pole. These are just a few, some are way worse than this;
You can click the photo for a big blow up shot too!
Worn Pole
Worn Pole
Worn Pole
Proper Pole!
Proper Pole!
Proper Pole!
