Plastic Covers on Bottom of Metal Light Poles Around Detroit

**Motor City Sam** · January-20-10, 02:36 PM

Originally Posted by Diehard

I seem to remember reading somewhere it was a Friend of Kwame who got the contract. Wish I could remember where and find a link.

Diehard, you are correct. I can't find the link, but the company that got the contract was owned by a friennd of Kwame's who served on his transition team. His company had no experience with this kind of product, and I remember a report by Rod Meloni a few months after they were installed that showed them crumbling and breaking under the effects of the first winter. It was a complete disaster that never would have happened in an honest administration. The shrouds were touted as a way to protect citizens from exposed wires, as if there was some epidemic of people walking down the street and getting attacked by renegade electical components from the light poles.

The plastic covers are one of my pet peeves and symbolic of the criminality of the KK administration. My friends know that if they want to see me go on a rant, all they have to do is mention the light pole covers.

**Rocko** · January-20-10, 05:49 PM

Attachment 4924

Boot shit in action!!!

I'm honestly surprised these two haven't faded more. I think the hunter green painted streetlight poles look best, but the boots that remain over the past 5 years have faded and don't look so good any more.

Imagine if they spent that 1.2 million $$$ on repairing or replacing current streetlights? Or properly securing the wiring connections at the bases by putting metal plates on and bolting them to the base? Or putting up streetlights where ones have been knocked over by errant cars....years ago!

I remember the first summer they were in place, a friend and I were walking along Jefferson in front of the city/county bldg and went to check one out. They weigh about 2 pounds and can be easily held up with one hand. The only practical use is that they keep the salt spray out of the electrical circuitry at the base when there is no plate cover. They do not deter theft or electrocution....and they do not stand up to humans, nature, or snowplows in any way.

**Detroitnerd** · January-20-10, 05:56 PM

AH, but they lasted just long enough for the Super Bowl. What else matters, right?

**psubliminal** · January-20-10, 06:12 PM

That's the first time I've seen those things. They're way ugly. Who in their right mind would even risk accidental electrocution by going after the wire in a streetlight?

MichMatters · January-20-10, 10:49 PM

Originally Posted by psubliminal

Who in their right mind would even risk accidental electrocution by going after the wire in a streetlight?

Methinks you've never considered or heard of the desperation of a crack-head and other assorted desperates. Back when copper and the rest were fetching sky, you'd hear about local scrappers being electrocuted all the time. This was back in 2007 andd 2008.