News Summary
Columbia officials are considering a new ordinance to place power and communication lines underground, promoting urban greenery and improving the city’s visual appeal. Requested by Mayor Rickenmann, the initiative aims to identify funding for this project to mitigate risks from overhead lines and address the significant loss of the city’s tree canopy. Representatives from local energy companies are collaborating to assess feasibility, and public sentiment reflects a desire for greener streets and safer pedestrian areas.
Columbia officials are exploring an ordinance to place more power and communication lines underground in an effort to enhance urban greenery and the city’s overall aesthetics. The initiative, prompted by a request from Mayor Daniel Rickenmann, aims to identify funding and project opportunities that would support the undergrounding of utility lines. This initiative was discussed in a recent meeting of the city’s Health, Social and Environmental Affairs committee held on April 22.
The proposed ordinance is not expected to mirror the extensive undergrounding project undertaken by Hilton Head in 2004, which involved burying over 100 miles of overhead lines at a total cost of $35 million over 15 years. However, Columbia’s plan aims to address several pressing issues, including the creation of additional space for trees, reducing the risk of power outages caused by fallen trees or accidents, and improving the visual appeal of the city.
The Columbia Water director has emphasized that transitioning utilities underground will lead to greater reliability and enhanced beautification of neighborhoods. Alongside city officials, representatives from Dominion Energy and the Midlands Business Leadership Group are currently investigating core sampling in various areas to assess the feasibility of this undergrounding initiative.
Public sentiment regarding the city’s greenery has also influenced the potential ordinance. A community survey indicated a strong preference among residents for street trees that provide shade and enhanced tree-lined barriers to create safer pedestrian environments. In addition, research highlighted a concerning trend for the city, showing that Columbia lost nearly 22% of its tree canopy between 2005 and 2019, which has contributed to the development of urban heat islands, increasing temperature discrepancies in the city.
Despite the challenges Columbia faces in maintaining and increasing its tree canopy, some neighborhoods have benefited from previous undergrounding efforts. Successful restoration of tree canopy can be observed in areas like Main Street, the Vista district, Statehouse grounds, and the University of South Carolina campus. The visual differences in tree coverage become particularly evident on Assembly Street, where the contrast between areas with underground utilities and those without is pronounced.
As part of the city’s commitment to fostering a greener environment, a recommendation for conducting a tree canopy inventory was made to help proactively replace aging trees. However, funding for such initiatives remains a concern, notably following the recent cancellation of a USDA-funded project that aimed to plant nearly 2,000 new trees in the area.
The financial implications of undergrounding utilities are significant, with estimates for the Gervais Street project alone ranging from $80 to $100 million. The mayor acknowledged the difficulties associated with implementing underground utilities, particularly in older parts of the city, where existing infrastructure complicates these efforts.
Financial support from Dominion Energy has also been a factor in the city’s planning and execution of utility undergrounding projects. The company contributes at least $500,000 annually to the city’s non-standard service fund, which aids in utility undergrounding and other related projects. Since approximately 2004, the city has undertaken around $35 million worth of undergrounding initiatives, with Dominion estimating to cover roughly half of the associated costs.
In addition to broader infrastructure projects, a local developer has committed nearly $1 million to underground sections of overhead power lines around a busy intersection in conjunction with an eight-story apartment complex. Such contributions are part of a collaborative effort among city officials, businesses, and community members to foster a more sustainable and visually appealing urban landscape.
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Additional Resources
- Post and Courier
- Wikipedia: Urban Heat Island
- Herald-Mail Media
- Google Search: Utility undergrounding
- Columbia Tribune
- Google Scholar: Urban Greening
- SC Daily Gazette
- Encyclopedia Britannica: Utility Infrastructure
- Whiz News
- Google News: Tree Canopy Columbia
