[21twelve]

I wonder if the electric company can use them elsewhere - and viewed it as part of “payment” that they have already ackowledge they’ll ever see?

I think Detroit is a real interesting (and tragic) case study. Especially for those who think that this couldn’t happen to America as a whole. (It can.)

[GnuHere]

Oh, I didn’t think about them being reused. Ya, Detroit...what can you say? Tragic is the word.

[stlnative]

They removed them to avoid the light poles from being gutted out by copper wire thief's. There are many communities these days that won't turn off street lights during the day or night because of copper wire thief's. Once they cannot afford to burn the lights 24 hours a day they will fully remove the whole poles.