R. Bruce Dold’s column headlined “Topiary tragedies: ComEd cuts a shocking swath” (Op-Ed, June 14) was well written and gave a good description of the needless destruction of once-beautiful trees. I believe, however, that I can add a dimension to his column by presenting an engineer’s viewpoint.
I spoke on two occasions with first two and then three ComEd employees and suggested that engineered protective measures be taken to protect the ComEd lines from my three pine trees. They originally wanted to cut all three trees down to their mid-height but then offered to cut them off completely at ground level, for appearance’s sake!
For other trees in general, ComEd policy is to cut “offending” branches back to the trunk of the tree. No reasonable person objects to minor cutting of branches within, say, 12 inches of a ComEd lines, but cutting off the branch back to the trunk is an entirely different and unacceptable proposition.
I have been an engineer for 47 years and have successfully completed enough engineering design tasks to have lost count. Accordingly, I suggested the following two protective concepts to ComEd personnel:
Attach one heavy clamp to each of the poles that bracket the offending tree. Then attach to each of the clamps an electrically insulated and strong strut that projects upward and outward to support a stainless steel wire rope. By positioning the protective rope between the transmission line and the tree branch, a tree can be saved from “grotesque disfiguration.”
Short “protective” covers could also be installed over the present power lines to protect them from a nearby tree branch. When I suggested that a short, engineered plastic section be installed over their protective cover, I was told they tried this once and a pinhole developed, so they discarded the idea.
Discarding a good concept because of one failure certainly raises questions. Better plastic materials, soft sealant between the added cover and the cable cover are the only two other possible design concepts available.
I am a minor stockholder, and it distresses me to see the management take a position that effectively says, “The customer be damned, we are only looking at the bottom line.” ComEd is creating a lot of ill will that, in my opinion, will not be quickly forgotten. Doesn’t ComEd have enough problems without antagonizing its customers over something that could be solved with a little imagination and common sense?
