In Over Our Heads

By Sean McVeigh

“What on earth is that noise?” my wife asked while we were on the phone the other day. I was at work and had just called to check in — like the good husband that I am.

“How can you think at all with that incessant beeping?”

I paused and listened closely.

Oh, wow — there is a bunch of beeping. What is the source of all that beeping? Lord knows. But I’d completely tuned it out. To me, it was just everyday background noise.

That idea — of tuning out — was brought to my attention again this week. The scribe who originally occupied this hallowed page happened to be my muse. Publisher Emeritus of The Rockaway Times, Kevin Boyle, is the one who took those striking photos. And while they might seem like extreme examples, they’re certainly not exceptions. Excessive overhead wires can be found on nearly every block of the peninsula. Frankly, those photos make plain the problem better than I ever could in words.

We’ve become complacent. The wires hanging all around us have just faded into the background of our daily lives. I pass by the spot where those photos were taken almost every day, and I’ll admit — I’ve gotten so used to the clutter that I barely notice it anymore.

Unlike other parts of the city, Rockaway doesn’t have the luxury of burying wires underground.  But that shouldn’t mean we’re doomed to live forever under a canopy of copper (or whatever they make wires from these days).

Not to be hyperbolic, but at this rate, it won’t be long before we’re living in a dystopian world where sunlight never reaches the sidewalks of Rockaway. On the bright side (see what I did there?), if it rains, we’ll at least stay dry under our new ceiling of cables.

Ironically, some of the worst wiring can be found right outside our City Councilwoman’s office. I have to believe that she, like the rest of us, has just stopped noticing. But maybe Councilwoman Ariola could take the lead on this issue and present a bill to City Council with some practical solutions. Boyle even suggested a simple, common-sense idea when he sent the photos my way: no new wires can go up without the old ones coming down.

I’ve reached out to the three parties I believe are the main culprits behind our wire overload: Verizon, PSEG, and the NYC Department of Transportation (the agency that is responsible for NYC’s overhead wires). All three acknowledged the inquiry and said they were looking into the matter. Unfortunately, none got back to me with a formal response to my questions before we went to press. If any of them provide a meaningful explanation or update, I’ll be sure to share it in next week’s column.

I honestly don’t know whether we even have the ability to bury our wires. And if we can’t yet, maybe we stop with the de-extinction of animals and start coming up with some more practical solutions to the plights of humanity. What I do know is that it would be a massive project — and not something we’ll be seeing anytime soon. (Please, no one mention this to residents of Broad Channel. I don’t think they could handle the thought of digging up any more roads.) But does that mean we need to bury our standards when it comes to our current situation? This is a beach community. We thrive on a picturesque, paradise persona. If we’re going to have overhead wires, let’s at least demand that there are as few as humanly possible.

Or, maybe, instead of burying the wires, we can just keep our heads buried in the sand.