Google Fiber Runs Face First Into Bureaucracy > get a fair deal or WALK!

get a fair deal or WALK!

I am not sure that you fully understand pole plant and the various clearances involved. As has been discussed, there is a minimum clearance of 40 inches between power attachments to the pole and the next lower attachment. There is also a minimum clearance between the bottom cable and the driveway, street, etc. which must be maintained to avoid cable being torn down.

If there is no more space on the pole, then the pole must be changed out for one that is taller and that is several thousand dollars to do that. Then there is the question of recurring attachment fees.

There is more involved (safety wise) than being mean to poor little Google. In all the articles I saw no reference to costs more than other utilities.

In short, it appears that Google didn't check out everything that they should have.

If Kansas City utilities have gobbed up telephone poles with wires, that's news to me.. on the odd few miles of higher costs because that's the case a deal could be worked out without hitting a brick wall, IMO-- perhaps it's more cost effective to run cabling underground or through backyards, etc. There are all kinds of possiblities.. but I agree the job of Google to figure out if the entire project was feasable costwise was an important issue in choosing the location in the first place. What I was alluding to is that if INCUBMENT utilties go out of their way to make this project cost more than it should, Google should WALK the project to another location lock-stock-and-barrel!

Anybody that wants to bury thru my back yard, if they aren't mentioned on existing easement will pay a very high price, something like $100 per foot. I have more stuff than I want in my back yard.