Business Owner Concerned over Light Pole Dangers
Related Story
UPDATE (1/24): A new light pole is now installed in McAllen.
Business owners were concerned after a hole in the light pole on 10th Street and Gumwood Avenue started to get larger.
After CHANNEL 5 NEWS took a picture of the damage to the city of McAllen, City Assistant Manager Michelle Leftwich agreed that it was a problem and called in AEP Energy to take a look.
This led to a new pole being installed.
Leftwich says if anyone sees an issue similar, use their 311 mobile application to report it.
------------------
MCALLEN – A light pole caused some concern for one McAllen business owner.
In the city of McAllen, 10th Street and Gumwood Avenue is a busy roadway. Many driving by are focused on their destination.
Tuxedo business owner Jaime Gutierrez looks at a problem drivers pass by every day.
Gutierrez explained there was trailer accident that happened years ago. He said the damage is still there and it's spreading.
"The cracks spread because, you know, because the traffic and everything like that. I mean more traffic more cracks right? So yeah, it does crack every once in a while," said Gutierrez.
Gutierrez points out he's worried if a natural disaster occurs.
"I'm scared that the winds or anything like that. A storm can bring it down in the middle of the street and 10th Street is pretty busy," said Gutierrez.
CHANNEL 5 NEWS showed the light pole damage to the McAllen Assistant City Manager Michelle Leftwich.
"It looks to me that we need to have it checked out. Someone who is a professional," said Leftwich.
Leftwich said they didn't have reports on the light pole. She said in this situation they send it off to AEP Energy to look at.
She recommended homeowners or business owners to also make reports by using the 3-1-1 application.
"It can help us to do our job more efficiently and faster. You call you download you take a picture. You send it to the app, it goes through our call center and they assign it to the appropriate department to address the situation," said Leftwich.
AEP spokesperson Lee Jones explains crews will install a new light pole on Wednesday, Jan. 24.
News
