THE UNDERGROUND INSTALLATION OF UTILITIES 389 



Paralleling the activities in underground distribution, IEEE has 

 given considerable attention to improving the appearance and in- 

 creasing the reliability of the existing overhead construction. Many 

 studies have been made and papers presented on such things as im- 

 proved design of transmission towers, harmonizing color of equip- 

 ment, elimination of crossarms on distribution poles, use of cabled 

 secondary mains, elimination of series street-lighting circuits, use of 

 higher voltages for distribution circuits, reducing the height of sub- 

 station structures, proper landscaping of substations and many other 

 areas of improvement in appearance of all structures that at the pres- 

 ent time must be maintained above ground. 



JOHN W. DYCKMAN.* It is not my intention to argue the case 

 for underground utilities. The purpose of this conference is to dis- 

 cuss contributions to the preservation of scenic beauty, and there are 

 few who deny the impairment of view, landscape or cityscape, im- 

 posed by overhead utility lines. The argument for the continued 

 use of overhead utility lines has been advanced almost entirely on 

 economic grounds. It is my belief that these arguments use too 

 narrow a cost accounting base, undervalue a variety of social bene- 

 fits, and even on economic grounds are excessively short-run in their 

 outlook. 



The evidence of the enhancement of property value premiums in 

 superior residential developments in which unsightly overhead utili- 

 ties have been avoided suggest that the social valuations in question 

 have a way, over time, of finding their way back into market valua- 

 tions. Accordingly, I wish to concentrate our attentions on ways 

 in which we might act to secure these greater long-term gains. 



1. Since the premium attached to developments which avoid un- 

 sightly overhead utilities is most apparent at the time of resale, while 

 the improvements themselves are paid for at the time of initial de- 

 velopment, steps are necessary to bring the cost and valuation into 

 more intimate phase. As a step in this direction, we should urge 

 the FHA to issue directives which explicitly recognize underground 

 utilities as a site improvement and a premium to the property for 

 loan purposes. If the FHA and other agencies which influence or 

 make loans, were to add their weight to the devaluation of develop- 

 ments which violate these principles of scenic preservation and to 

 support those which actively enhance the character of the develop- 



*This is an extension of the remarks made by Mr. Dyckman during the panel 

 discussion. 



