Photo: FLLewis / Media City G — BWP crew and giant crane install new utility poles near 100 block of South Lamer Street Burbank April 7, 2015
It took a giant crane and some high-flying maneuvers by Burbank Water and Power crews to install some new utility poles in Burbank last week. The operation is pretty dramatic with the crane lifting the poles over tree and roof tops “into pre-dug holes” along property lines. It happened in a neighborhood, which included the 300 block of Griffith Park Drive and the 100 block of South Lamer Street.
Photo: FLLewis / Media City G — Giant crane lifts new utility pole into place near 300 block of South Griffith Park Drive Burbank April 7, 2015
It’s all “…part of BWP’s long term project of replacing poles to rebuild parts of the electric system to accommodate the upgrading of our wires from a 4,000 volt system to a 12,000 volt system. Not only does this help BWP deliver a higher volume of electricity, it also helps us reduce electricity loss and reduce the number of substations,” BWP spokesperson Joe Flores said in an email.
Photo: FLLewis / Media City G — A load of new utility poles on the back of BWP truck in the 300 block of South Griffith Park Drive Burbank April 7, 2015
“The ability to use a large crane to set a large amount of poles in a relatively short period of time results in a very effective use of BWP resources. Not only does it result in a lower installed cost per pole, but it also aids in shortening the overall timetable to complete the project, thus reducing the inconvenience to the community. This project involved replacing 78 poles with a crane,” Flores added.
