Following a mid-afternoon blast of rain on Monday, water quickly began rising on Hope Street. Much of the street was soon flooded, even trapping a Renato's delivery driver.
Furious residents of Hope Street and Spring Avenue appeared before the Ridgewood Village Council just a week ago, demanding the town officials prevent PSE&G from hoisting up 65-foot-tall utility poles running 69,000 volts of electricity in their neighborhood.
According to the residents, dangers are magnified with the poles in place. A downed wire could spell disaster when the streets flood, they said. Should an errant vehicle hit a pole with enough force, the poles would likely crash into multiple houses, speakers remarked at the council meeting.
Some suggested burying utility lines underground, though it probably wouldn't be the best course of action on Hope and Spring due to the well-documented flood issues.
PSE&G, meanwhile, says the poles are stronger than the 40-foot-poles they're replacing and are taller to prevent interference with the higher voltage lines. The utility maintains there is no danger.
The installation work – stretching between substations in Fair Lawn and Paramus – has been halted until a public forum in Ridgewood is held on July 31.
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