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Uxbridge Select Board approves three National Grid poles for advanced metering after public questions on sidewalks and DPW coordination
Summary
The Select Board voted 5–0 Oct. 27 to approve three joint-occupancy poles (Richardson, Linwood and Hazel streets) for National Grid’s new advanced metering equipment after engineers described brace placement and the board requested written DPW coordination and repair agreements.
The Town of Uxbridge Select Board voted unanimously Oct. 27 to approve three National Grid joint-occupancy pole placements on North Richardson Street, Linwood Street and Hazel Street to support a utility advanced metering initiative.
Titus, LVL design engineer for National Grid, told the board the Richardson location uses a push (pole) brace rather than anchor wire so the brace would not encroach on the town taking. "So that's not in the town taking. That'll support the stability of the pole that's going in on the road," he said. He said the Linwood and Hazel placements are intended to hold remote-reading equipment as part of the utility’s advanced metering rollout and that National Grid selected spots to triangulate signals back to its control center.
Board members raised pedestrian-access and maintenance concerns. Several members asked whether new poles would be placed on the far side of sidewalks to avoid interference with plows, wheelchairs and pedestrian flow; whether anchors or guy‐wires would intrude on private property; and how sidewalk and curb repairs would be handled after construction. The chair asked National Grid to "provide written agreements" showing how the company will coordinate with the Department of Public Works and specify responsibility for concrete/curb repair.
Representatives said contractors will patch excavation areas and that National Grid can meet with DPW staff ahead of work or have DPW on site during work for quality control. The board closed the consolidated hearing and then voted on each pole individually: a motion to approve the Richardson joint-occupancy pole passed 5–0; the Linwood pole passed 5–0; and the Hazel pole passed 5–0.
What’s next: The board asked staff to obtain contract-level verification of coordination and repairs from National Grid before construction proceeds and recorded unanimous approvals for each pole during the meeting.
Provenance: Topic introduced SEG 420; related discussion and votes recorded SEG 434–884.
