wmartin@brl-smoke.ARPA (Will Martin ) (01/16/86)
In article <296@yetti.UUCP> mike@yetti.UUCP (Mike Clarkson ) writes: >the whole state to Erie PA. Current law prohibits use of Interstate >rights of way for utilities, which might endanger motorists or traffic. The presence of the comma in the sentence above leads me to two interpretations: the law prohibits *only* those utilities which might endanger motorists or traffic; or, the law prohibits *all* utilities, on the grounds that they might endanger motorists or traffic. If the former, maybe there is no need to amend the law. A fiber optic cable cannot endanger anybody or anything, except if someone uses it to hang you! No voltage danger, not heavy enough to hurt if it fell on you, etc. (Though I would expect it would be buried.) If the latter, is the rationale that the servicing required by any utility lines (installation, maintenance/repair, connecting new branches, etc.) would require the Interstate and the motorists on it be subject to danger from the presence of the servicing vehicles and workmen? (If so, I would think they would ban road-maintenance crews, too!) If that was the reasoning, and it was believed to be a valid danger, such danger would still exist whether the utility was laying or repairing fiber optic or electic wire or gas mains, so just because it might be convenient to use the Interstate right-of-way would not be a good enough reason to get the special waiver. I would find it interesting to know which interpretation is correct. (By the way, putting in that fiber optic cable along that route sounds like a good idea to me, so don't interpret any of the above to mean that I am campaigning against it!) Regards, Will
tw8023@pyuxii.UUCP (T Wheeler) (01/21/86)
One point about fiber optics along the intrestate routess. The fiber cable is to be a buried cable. No poles. Many of New Yorks highways have buried cables running next to them. Burying the cable along a highway right-of-way is the most economical method of getting from one place to another. Sounds like a good idea to me. Other states use this method and it works. There are almost never any problems with maintenance crews (unless some twank digs up the cable). The major problem in New York concerning the opposition to using the highways is that those opposed do not understand the technology and are afraid of the unknown. T. C. Wheeler