HOUSTON – The damage caused by Derecho and Hurricane Beryl in May continues to affect residents across Houston.
CenterPoint Energy has promised to strengthen its infrastructure to prepare for future storms, but the repairs are causing concern for residents, including some of our youngest children.
KPRC 2’s Gage Goulding previously reported on a piece of an old pole dangling from the new pole that CenterPoint Energy installed in the Garden Oaks neighborhood.
It was located high above the busy street and sidewalk before Gage’s reporting led to CenterPoint removing it.
Another concerned resident alerted us to another piece of an old pole attached to a new pole above a walkway that hundreds of students walk home from school every day.
The intersection of Eastside Street and West Alabama Street is right next to Lamar High School in the River Oaks neighborhood.
Although this pole looks safer, we have spoken to several students who say they do not feel safe.
“It’s dangerous if you can’t see anything, it could just fall on you,” said Manuela Rodriguez, a 12th grader at Lamar High School
“A lot of people actually walk more than they use the bus routes… Safety is really important… A strong wind could just knock it over,” Rodriguez added.
Sophomore Gabriella Bobb said she and her mother had been concerned about wooden power poles in general and wanted to replace them.
“We always talk about how they have to get rid of the wooden wires… A few weeks ago, when the storm came, the wires were swinging wildly back and forth. That doesn’t look very reassuring.”
We asked CenterPoint for comment and they said they were looking into it.
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