Electric pole inspection project begins in March in St. Charles

Beginning in late March and continuing through April, the City of St. Charles will perform inspections on all 2,300 city-owned wood utility poles. While inspections take place, residents can expect to see city crews in neighborhoods and on their property.

The city has contracted with Osmose Utility Services to perform the inspections. Crews will visit every pole, which means they will need access to some backyard areas. Inspectors will be wearing bright lime green vests and hardhats and won't start work in residential areas until 8 a.m.

Inspections involve digging out a small amount of dirt at the base of the pole to check for decay below the ground line. The dirt will be neatly replaced around the pole once crews have finished their inspection.

If necessary, the city will then replace decayed poles. This project is part of proactive maintenance the city performs every 10 years. The city also was able to take advantage of competitive pricing by jointly bidding this project with the City of Naperville.

Of the combined effort, Charles Electric Services Division Manager Tom Bruhl said, "Not only is this a more cost-effective way of doing business, it also is good to work together with neighboring communities."