Verizon: We replaced the concrete barrier on our utility pole in Woodbridge

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It is strange and concerning sight. A utility pole with its base encased in deteriorating concrete sitting along a busy neighborhood street in Woodbridge.

A tipster contacted Potomac Local about the pole on Feb. 11 and told us the pole appeared to pose a danger to drivers and pedestrians:

In Woodbridge on the corner of Occoquan and Horner Roads, right by the Shell gas station, there is a telephone/electric pole in almost complete disrepair. More specifically, some time ago the bottom of the pole was encased in a rather massive column of steel reinforced concrete. I suspect the reason this was done was to prevent damage to the pole in the event of a direct hit, though I’m not an engineer. Long story short, a few months ago the concrete began to fall apart and has since become a 1,000 lb. (+/-) safety hazard. It’s all over the sidewalk, which has made it nearly impassable, and tinkering on collapsing into the road.

The tipster claimed to have called Woodbridge District Supervisor Frank Principi, as well as a local fire department.

I also called the O.W.L. Fire Department when I first noticed it because it literally looks like it could fall over at any time and they told me they could only dispatch a truck if the pole was actually leaning.

Potomac Local went to look at the pole and, yes, it was in sad shape. The concrete placed around the base of the pole was cracked and falling apart. Some had used it as a waste receptacle. 

Several shop owners that we spoke with, including managers at Shell gas station and the independently-owned Handy Dandy Mart, across the street from the pole, said the utility pole had been in this condition for at least nine months.

Our tipster included these thoughts:

I guarantee you that if there was a telephone pole in that condition in Belmont Bay, Potomac Town Center, or some other more affluent part of town the problem would have been resolved right away.

Potomac Local made some calls and tracked down the owner of the utility pole, Verizon. We contacted spokesman Harry Mitchell about the pole, sent him a photograph that we took, and he provided this response on Feb. 16.

Thanks for bringing this to our attention. The pole is Verizon’s responsibility; we assumed it from Dominion a number of years ago when the power company moved its facilities off the pole.

The concrete barriers are there to protect the pole and our facilities attached to the pole from vehicles. That in turn protects the public and keeps our services up and running. And the barriers serve a purpose: We have had to replace them several times over the years.

After receiving your note and photo, we checked the pole over the weekend and today had the barrier replaced.

*This post has been corrected. An earlier version of the post stated the pole had been replaced when actually the concrete barrier around the base of the pole was replaced.