HOUSTON – For weeks, residents in the Briargrove neighborhood were left with questions and carefully navigating around massive utility poles that appeared seemingly out of nowhere on streets, sidewalks, and even lawns.
The poles weren’t just unsightly. They were dangerous, disruptive, and confusing, neighbors told KPRC 2’s Rilwan Balogun.
“We noticed these poles being dumped here and there around the neighborhood,” said David Phillips. “We make jokes when we go walking and running, like maybe they’re just decorations. But it really didn’t look like there was a plan when they dropped these off.”
Phillips’ drone footage from earlier this month shows one of these large wooden poles floating down the street during street flooding. It eventually had to be moved by police and CenterPoint to restore traffic flow.
“It blocked the road, and then three big trucks came to move it. And then it was like… they just dumped it on someone’s grass,” Phillips recalled.
Barbara Justin, another resident, said the unexplained presence of the poles has been ongoing.
“It’s just kind of been dropped and abandoned,” she said.
Residents like Justin tried to get answers by contacting Houston’s 311, only to be bounced between agencies. First, they were told the pole might belong to AT&T. Then an inspector claimed it was a CenterPoint line. Still, weeks passed without resolution.
“We’ve been calling CenterPoint for three or four weeks,” Justin said. “Nothing.”
“It’s a street not a place to store poles,” she added. “This one in particular is offensive because it’s been here so long. No explanation. Nothing.”
With no progress from utilities or the city, neighbors turned to KPRC 2’s “2 Helps You.” Within hours, CenterPoint sent crews to remove both poles.
“It not only killed the grass,” Justin said, “but it went right down to the dirt.”
In a statement to KPRC 2, CenterPoint Energy explained the situation:
“As part of CenterPoint Energy’s ongoing Greater Houston Resilience Initiative, we are working to strengthen our electric infrastructure through a combination of pole replacements, enhanced vegetation management, and the strategic undergrounding of power lines.
In some cases, older poles may remain temporarily in place until all equipment is safely transferred, and final removal can be scheduled. We understand this may cause some inconvenience and appreciate the community’s patience as we complete this important work.”
According to CenterPoint, 26,000 poles have been replaced across the Houston area since Hurricane Beryl last year.
For the people of Briargrove, it’s not just about one pole. It’s about communication, accountability, and ensuring neighborhoods don’t become dumping grounds in the name of progress.
“If you’re going to lay down a pole, then for goodness sake, come back… and use it,” Justin said. “If you’re not going to use it, please don’t drop these gigantic things in people’s yards.”
