Overhead Power Lines

Marcanadian · September 8th, 2012, 07:18 PM

Does your city have overhead power lines? Toronto is famous for them. Some people think it makes the city look really messy and gritty, while others think it adds some additional character to the streetscape.

You usually find overhead power lines in areas with streetcar routes or in areas that have a bohemian style to them.

Here's a few examples.

***Sarcasticity*** · September 8th, 2012, 07:23 PM

Philippines has them in every city. I think they're ugly, but it depends. If they're neatly done, it adds alot to the city, but in the case in my country, they're really done bad, really bad

image hosted on flickr

***RawLee*** · September 8th, 2012, 07:27 PM

The denser cities become here, the less cables are in the air. Exception is public transport. Electric cables for trams and trolleys are very common in downtown, to reduce the need for polluting buses.

***Svartmetall*** · September 8th, 2012, 09:17 PM

I hate overground power lines with a passion. They're ugly and intrusive.

Marcanadian · September 8th, 2012, 09:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Svartmetall

I hate overground power lines with a passion. They're ugly and intrusive.

Do you have them in the UK or Sweden? When I was in the UK, I don't recall seeing any.

***Svartmetall*** · September 8th, 2012, 10:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Marcanadian

Do you have them in the UK or Sweden? When I was in the UK, I don't recall seeing any.

UK - rare mostly telephone wires rather than power, though in some areas there are power lines.

Sweden - very rare indeed. I have only seen them once since I've been here and then I think they were telephone rather than power.

New Zealand - quite a lot of power lines around. New developments underground and some areas are undergrounding. Smaller cities/towns are above ground.

poshbakerloo · September 9th, 2012, 02:50 AM

In the UK some older housing estates have telephone wires, but other than that there are no cables over the streets anywhere, other than high tension long distance pylons

***LosAngelesSportsFan*** · September 9th, 2012, 04:42 AM

unfortunately, we still have a lot of these over head lines in LA, but slowly they are going away

kauebraga · September 9th, 2012, 06:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LosAngelesSportsFan

unfortunately, we still have a lot of these over head lines in LA, but slowly they are going away

The same here in Brazil. Except the part "They are going away". They aren't..

xrtn2 · September 9th, 2012, 06:08 AM

That's the thing that most irritates Brazilians forumers.

Here in city, 99% is like that.

Marcanadian · September 9th, 2012, 06:57 AM

Those don't look too bad. Some of the Toronto ones are horrible. You'd think in a city with such varied climate, it'd be a priority to put them underground.

anakngpasig · September 9th, 2012, 02:35 PM

I also notice Tokyo streets have a lot of them too. i've read it's because of the frequent earthquakes that they didn't bother to bury most of them.

Neungz · September 9th, 2012, 02:39 PM

in Bangkok

***Sarcasticity*** · September 9th, 2012, 03:30 PM

Eastern Asian cities usually have them esp those near the ring of fire 'cause it's generally safer to have them above ground than underground. I think in general they are eyesores, but they can be quite nice to look at if done the right way as those in Brazil.

Chicagoago · September 10th, 2012, 01:02 AM

Here in Chicago the downtown area is all underground, with the outlying neighborhoods mostly above ground - but everything runs through alleys behind all the buildings that run between all streets.

You don't see anything when you're moving around town. I think Chicago actually has more alleys than any city in the world. They handle all the telephone, electricity, cable TV, garages and trash pickup. That means there are no curb cuts or driveways on any city streets, which makes it a bit more easy to navigate.

Streets:

Typical neighborhood alley that runs behind all buildings in the city:

***Manila-X*** · September 10th, 2012, 05:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sarcasticity

Philippines has them in every city. I think they're ugly, but it depends. If they're neatly done, it adds alot to the city, but in the case in my country, they're really done bad, really bad

Not all. Though the new CBDs and residential developments have it's wires underground.

Neungz · September 10th, 2012, 07:35 AM

in Bangkok
(and also other cities/towns in Thailand)

image hosted on flickr

Giant Swing, Bangkok by Michael LaPalme, on Flickr

image hosted on flickr

Charoen Krung Road, Bangkok by Michael LaPalme, on Flickr

image hosted on flickr

Wireless Road, Bangkok by Michael LaPalme, on Flickr

image hosted on flickr

Wireless Road, Bangkok by Michael LaPalme, on Flickr

Neungz · September 10th, 2012, 07:51 AM

image hosted on flickr

Street view of Bangkok by Tommy and Georgie, on Flickr

image hosted on flickr

Streets of Bangkok by saadmohamed, on Flickr

image hosted on flickr

Street view near Wat Pho by jchien618, on Flickr

image hosted on flickr

[12 Bangkok] Bangkok, a busy city by mailmark, on Flickr

jbkayaker12 · September 10th, 2012, 08:17 AM

On our main thoroughfares, we have utility pylons like this one and on secondary older streets the shorter pylons. Majority if not all utilitity lines are underground in residential suburbia.

***SE9*** · September 10th, 2012, 10:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sarcasticity

image hosted on flickr

September 8th, 2012, 07:18 PM	#1
Marcanadian Registered User Join Date: May 2005 Location: Toronto Posts: 9,676 Likes (Received): 67	Overhead Power Lines Does your city have overhead power lines? Toronto is famous for them. Some people think it makes the city look really messy and gritty, while others think it adds some additional character to the streetscape. You usually find overhead power lines in areas with streetcar routes or in areas that have a bohemian style to them. Here's a few examples. __________________ Toronto - Southwest England - London - Chicago - Vancouver - Banff National Park - Montréal - Ottawa

September 8th, 2012, 07:23 PM	#2
*Sarcasticity* Lost in the Big Apple Join Date: May 2005 Location: DC/NYC Posts: 1,886 Likes (Received): 30	Philippines has them in every city. I think they're ugly, but it depends. If they're neatly done, it adds alot to the city, but in the case in my country, they're really done bad, really bad image hosted on flickr __________________ FILIPINO by blood. AMERICAN by ambition. Filipino working in NYC

September 8th, 2012, 07:27 PM	#3
*RawLee* Moderator Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Budapest Posts: 10,103 Likes (Received): 82	The denser cities become here, the less cables are in the air. Exception is public transport. Electric cables for trams and trolleys are very common in downtown, to reduce the need for polluting buses. __________________ Hungarian motorways Hungarian railways Budapest constructions&updates Budapest metro M4 Pictures about Sopron,Szeged,Veszprém,Debrecen,Keszthely,Lake Balaton, Touristy and not-touristy Budapest

September 8th, 2012, 09:17 PM	#4
*Svartmetall* Ordo Ab Chao Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Past: Northampton, UK (19 years), Auckland NZ (7 years), Now: Stockholm, Sweden Posts: 9,313 Likes (Received): 323	I hate overground power lines with a passion. They're ugly and intrusive. __________________ "Alle Ding sind Gift, und nichts ohn Gift; allein die Dosis macht, daß ein Ding kein Gift ist." Paracelsus 1493-1541

September 9th, 2012, 02:50 AM	#7
poshbakerloo *Alexxx* Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: London, Manchester, Sheffield, Moscow Posts: 4,667 Likes (Received): 27	In the UK some older housing estates have telephone wires, but other than that there are no cables over the streets anywhere, other than high tension long distance pylons __________________ "BEFORE WE MARRY...I HAVE A SECRET!" I <3 London

September 9th, 2012, 04:42 AM	#8
*LosAngelesSportsFan* Moderator Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Los Angeles Posts: 2,937 Likes (Received): 18	unfortunately, we still have a lot of these over head lines in LA, but slowly they are going away

September 9th, 2012, 06:08 AM	#10
xrtn2 Vivendo e aprendendo Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: GV - Brazil Posts: 8,587 Likes (Received): 1112	That's the thing that most irritates Brazilians forumers. Here in city, 99% is like that. __________________ "O homem com a perda do Éden saiu a construir cidades do amor próprio, buscando a glória humana nos limites da pólis pois sabia que não poderia eleger a si mesmo como o fim último" Santo Agostinho

September 9th, 2012, 06:57 AM	#11
Marcanadian Registered User Join Date: May 2005 Location: Toronto Posts: 9,676 Likes (Received): 67	Those don't look too bad. Some of the Toronto ones are horrible. You'd think in a city with such varied climate, it'd be a priority to put them underground. __________________ Toronto - Southwest England - London - Chicago - Vancouver - Banff National Park - Montréal - Ottawa

September 9th, 2012, 02:35 PM	#12
anakngpasig recovering assaholic Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Ciudad Pasig Posts: 2,328 Likes (Received): 169	I also notice Tokyo streets have a lot of them too. i've read it's because of the frequent earthquakes that they didn't bother to bury most of them. __________________ Ne’er shall invaders trample thy sacred shoal. Last edited by anakngpasig; September 9th, 2012 at 02:47 PM.

September 9th, 2012, 02:39 PM	#13
Neungz Registered User Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: SIAM Posts: 3,247 Likes (Received): 411	in Bangkok

September 9th, 2012, 03:30 PM	#14
*Sarcasticity* Lost in the Big Apple Join Date: May 2005 Location: DC/NYC Posts: 1,886 Likes (Received): 30	Eastern Asian cities usually have them esp those near the ring of fire 'cause it's generally safer to have them above ground than underground. I think in general they are eyesores, but they can be quite nice to look at if done the right way as those in Brazil. __________________ FILIPINO by blood. AMERICAN by ambition. Filipino working in NYC

September 10th, 2012, 01:02 AM	#15
Chicagoago Registered User Join Date: Dec 2005 Posts: 1,657 Likes (Received): 55	Here in Chicago the downtown area is all underground, with the outlying neighborhoods mostly above ground - but everything runs through alleys behind all the buildings that run between all streets. You don't see anything when you're moving around town. I think Chicago actually has more alleys than any city in the world. They handle all the telephone, electricity, cable TV, garages and trash pickup. That means there are no curb cuts or driveways on any city streets, which makes it a bit more easy to navigate. Streets: Typical neighborhood alley that runs behind all buildings in the city: __________________ It was twelve noon...of course I was drunk Last edited by Chicagoago; September 10th, 2012 at 01:08 AM.

September 10th, 2012, 07:35 AM	#17
Neungz Registered User Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: SIAM Posts: 3,247 Likes (Received): 411	in Bangkok (and also other cities/towns in Thailand) image hosted on flickr Giant Swing, Bangkok by Michael LaPalme, on Flickr image hosted on flickr Charoen Krung Road, Bangkok by Michael LaPalme, on Flickr image hosted on flickr Wireless Road, Bangkok by Michael LaPalme, on Flickr image hosted on flickr Wireless Road, Bangkok by Michael LaPalme, on Flickr

September 10th, 2012, 07:51 AM	#18
Neungz Registered User Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: SIAM Posts: 3,247 Likes (Received): 411	image hosted on flickr Street view of Bangkok by Tommy and Georgie, on Flickr image hosted on flickr Streets of Bangkok by saadmohamed, on Flickr image hosted on flickr Street view near Wat Pho by jchien618, on Flickr image hosted on flickr [12 Bangkok] Bangkok, a busy city by mailmark, on Flickr

September 10th, 2012, 08:17 AM	#19
jbkayaker12 BANNED Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: LV NV USA Posts: 6,720 Likes (Received): 2	On our main thoroughfares, we have utility pylons like this one and on secondary older streets the shorter pylons. Majority if not all utilitity lines are underground in residential suburbia.

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