THE NUMBERS GAME
It’s a tall task suppying the city with electricity, telephone service and cable TV. Here’s the lowdown on what it takes to keep L. A. wired:
* Number of wooden electric/telephone poles in the City of Los Angeles: 289,000.
* Estimated number of poles used for other purposes, including cable TV: 5,000-7,000.
* Ratio of power poles to households: 1 to 4.
* Ratio of power poles to trees: 1 to 12.
* Miles of electrical wire strung on poles: 24,826.
* Miles of aerial telephone cable wired by Pacific Bell in L. A. County: 9,680.
* Average height of poles: 55 feet.
* Average weight of a pole: 1,540 pounds.
* Average cost, not including installation: $292.
* Approximate lifespan of a pole: 50 years.
* Leading causes of damage to poles: insects, birds, fungi and cars.
* Number of handbills and paper notices the Department of Street Maintenance removed from poles last year: 40,000.
* Maximum penalty for illegally posting handbills or notices on poles: Six months in jail and a $1,000 fine.
* Number of posting citations issued last year: 139.
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