Underground Utilities Project

June 2019 Final Position on Underground Utilities

Following pricing work done by the utliity companies for a reduced scope project in early 2019, the Village Revitalization Committee reached a final consensus on underground utilities. We take our role of representing the citizens of York on this project seriously and felt a clear public statement about this aspect of the project stands is appropriate. We prepared a memorandum to the York Board of Selectman in June. The memo was part of the packet for the July 22, 2019 BOS meeting. The memo explains our recommendation to end the quest to move utilities underground. Although we recommend no further planning be done on underground utilities, we discused ideas to improve the aesthetics of the Village related to above ground utilities. There will be existing poles that need to be moved in order to implement the overall road and sidewalk work. We have recorded suggestions we hope will be incorporated into project planning by the Town and the utility companies as project work moves along. [Final] Update on Initiative to Move York Village Overhead Utility Lines Underground

Spring 2018 Status Utilities

Will overhead wires and poles be removed?Relocating utility lines underground in all or part of the project area would greatly enhance the appearance of the Village and has been recommended in multiple unfulfilled plans for York Village over seven decades. Underground utility project costs do not qualify for traditional Federal or State funding. The cost to accomplish this will be the responsibility of the town of York. The consultants continue to develop design and cost estimates for 1) moving all utilities in the immediate vicinity of the intersection underground at the same time the Village improvements are implemented and 2) installing underground conduits at the same time as the roadway realignment work, but delaying burying the utility lines to a later date. Read more: Underground Utilities update from BOS Report#1

Recent article on Village Utilities Planning: Pondering Poles In Village, March 6, 2018, Deborah McDermott, York Weekly

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