Underground Utilities Project (2010 LGAA)

Village of Rouses Point (Winner)
County: Clinton County
Population: Less than 5,000
Village Hall: (518) 297-5502

Placing all utilities underground became a Village goal after NYSDOT reconstructed Lake Street (Main Street) in 1992. The visual impact of removing utility wires was immediately apparent, and as a result the Village began to budget for future undergrounding. Seeing the effects of the 1998 ice storm, the undergrounding project began that spring in an attempt to avoid future catastrophes. Today, approximately 95% of utilities are underground. The Village of Rouses Point, a Municipal Electric Association member, worked in partnership with the cable and telephone companies to accomplish its goals. The Village Electrical Department has been primarily responsible for the project, using in-house expertise to install underground conduits and electrical lines and services.

Since utilities of Rouses Point have been placed underground, the periodic power outages of the past have been largely eliminated. The new fixtures used to replace the old light poles are also more energy efficient, reducing system operational costs. The appearance of the streets of Rouses Point, uncluttered by overhead wires, has been frequently cited by potential businesses and visitors as making the Village more appealing than typical upstate communities, contributing to commercial revitalization in the area. The removal of unsightly poles and wires was also cited as a key factor in Rouses Point's selection as one of New York's twelve Quality Communities in 2003. The undergrounding of utilities, accomplished without a rate increase for electric customers through the use of in-house expertise and careful budgetary planning, has resulted in numerous cost and labor savings. These include fewer emergency callouts for the Electric Department, resulting in less overtime, and reduced use of the line truck and aerial truck. Since energy efficient fixtures have reduced operational costs for streetlights, per kilowatt electric rates have been reduced for all village rate payers.

Any municipal electric could follow Rouses Point's example by budgeting for undergrounding one street at a time. Employees performed all the installation and removal, and the only additional expenses were materials contracted by engineering services. A phased program with certain streets done annually according to fund availability is the key. While it has taken the Village several years to implement this essential project, the benefits will last for decades.