Carmel has issued citations to Duke Energy for illegally blocking 126th Street westbound on Wednesday, May 9, between Kinzer Avenue and Ash Drive, just west of Keystone Parkway. Duke did not go through the proper approval process for road closures, which allows for proper notification to public safety agencies so they can properly route their vehicles for emergency responses. It is unclear if Duke notified the school system for bus routing adjustments as well.
Brainard
“This is why capitalism works and monopolies, if we have to have them, should be owned by rate payers and not private companies. There was no consideration given to the local community with regard to the danger to public safety this illegal road block could have caused,” said Mayor Jim Brainard.
In addition, heavy trucks were illegally parked on the City’s multi-use paths without a permit. The City of Carmel prohibits parking on pathways without a permit due to the damage it can cause to the paved areas. These paths are not constructed to withstand the continued weight of vehicles. The City of Carmel included this issue in its citations to Duke.
The work being done by Duke Energy was not an emergency, but a routine replacement of aging utility poles, which means that the company should have had enough time to go through the proper procedures. This work seems even more unnecessary given the fact that the City of Carmel has an agreement in place with Duke Energy to bury the utility lines along this stretch of 126th Street. The city and Duke have been discussing and planning for the underground lines since plans were finalized for the 126th Street improvement project more than a year ago.
It is still Carmel’s plan to ensure that Duke fulfills its agreement to bury the lines in this area.
The city appreciates the public’s understanding and patience and it addresses this inconvenience with our local energy company. The city intends to notify the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission of this issue.