I hope you, your family and business are safe and back up and running after Hurricane Ida wreaked havoc on our region and highlighted our delicate infrastructure.
We can no longer allow for above-ground power lines. Yes, it has been discussed in the past and there have been many reasons why we have to live with raised power lines, but with every problem there is a solution, and now is the time for solutions.
After the storm, I drove along major roadways in stretches of areas with no businesses or subdivisions and saw downed power lines that could have easily been buried in roadway servitudes. The next time you drive the Pontchartrain Expressway from Downtown to the lakefront, look to your right at the railroad tracks. They have yards of servitudes, and yet we have above-ground power lines. Sure, I know in some areas we have to live with what is there, but not everywhere. In four days after Ida, Entergy showed its capabilities and surveyed the damages, made assessments and formed a plan to power up our region. I am sure in 30 days they can survey the lines, find areas that have large servitudes and create a plan to bury the lines. You can start with Airline Highway from Kenner to Laplace.
Entergy, it’s time to “Bury the Line.”
