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Polk County to ask AT&T to remove abandoned lines along Highway 411 after safety concerns
Summary
Commissioners authorized county staff to give AT&T 60 days to remove abandoned phone lines after repeated storm-related tree falls threatened drivers; the county may remove lines and sell scrap if AT&T does not act.
Polk County commissioners directed the county executive to contact AT&T and request removal of abandoned telephone lines along Highway 411, giving the company 60 days to provide a cleanup plan or face county action.
Commissioners said dead and fallen trees have been resting on the abandoned lines for about two years and that during recent storms several trees have fallen across the highway, creating a safety hazard for motorists, school buses and residents. One commissioner said roughly 80 to 100 dead trees remain along a stretch from State Route 64 to the Georgia line and urged the county to press AT&T for removal.
The motion asked the county executive’s office to send an official letter (ideally issued by the county clerk) giving AT&T 60 days to respond with a remediation plan. Commissioners discussed the legal and administrative steps the county would take if AT&T did not act; options mentioned included the county removing the lines and selling resulting scrap to fund cleanup.
Why it matters: commissioners said the lines create an ongoing public-safety hazard when storms topple trees and bring lines into traffic. The county said it has pursued state and provider contacts for more than two years, with responsibility disputed between AT&T and state agencies because the lines are in a right-of-way and appear abandoned.
Next steps: staff were asked to draft and send the letter, identify the appropriate AT&T contact, and, if the company fails to act within the stated period, coordinate removal and disposal through county crews or contractors.
