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| This is going to be costly for taxpayers |
Montgomery County will be on the hook for the damage, as these Bethesda streetscape lamps are under the jurisdiction of the County's Department of Public Works and Transportation, not Pepco. I was not aware that these were so flimsily-installed as to fall under winds far less than hurricane force.
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| Streetlamp pole seen at far right, next to trash can, before it fell |
This is something new to consider when downtown. Is it windy? I wouldn't park near one of these in that case. But what if you are just walking or driving by? The integrity of each of these poles now needs to be checked by DPWT, as this is a real public safety issue. Thank God no one was hurt this time, and the incident may end up preventing future injuries or deaths, if the County uses this warning to secure the others.
Photos courtesy @jsteinerman/Twitter
Bottom photo from Google Street View
