Unusual placement of power lines/other objects in medians or islands

[index]

These two roads in Louisiana and British Columbia have high-tension lines routed on their median, which seems to be pretty uncommon. I've GSVed everywhere and these are the only two examples of such a scenario I've ever been able to find.

https://www.google.com/maps/@29.91475,-90.0471052,3a,55.4y,128.4h,94.9t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sX-bPy2ASFxoq6zX9iDFD5Q!2e0!7i16384!8i8192
https://www.google.com/maps/@49.2817841,-123.0233681,3a,43y,351h,99.2t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sL8l0kSLnF222kvguXUnZeQ!2e0!6s%2F%2Fgeo2.ggpht.com%2Fcbk%3Fpanoid%3DL8l0kSLnF222kvguXUnZeQ%26output%3Dthumbnail%26cb_client%3Dmaps_sv.tactile.gps%26thumb%3D2%26w%3D203%26h%3D100%26yaw%3D52.712692%26pitch%3D0%26thumbfov%3D100!7i16384!8i8192
Any other instances of this, or other objects whose placements in medians would be unusual?
Edit: Note that I wouldn't consider street running railroads to be unusual, thus not really fit for this thread, considering how common they are

[catch22]

Greenfield Road, north of Ford Road (M-153) in Dearborn, Michigan:

https://goo.gl/maps/ggsiorPWjSYNXXiG8

These power lines continue north for about 1/2 mile, then turn east along a side street, going right by a house I lived in about 40 years ago (NE corner in this image).  On damp or rainy days, the lines buzzed and crackled loud enough to be heard inside the house.

https://goo.gl/maps/JaZcJCiftETEgpgW7

[tradephoric]

It also reminds me of the power lines running down the median of 8 Mile Road.

[ET21]

Also similar to Tonne Road in Elk Grove Village IL. Not a heavy route, but it's used for the warehouses on the right and residential on the left. Power lines in the middle, very wide median
https://www.google.com/maps/@41.998761,-87.9787575,3a,75y,346.6h,89.79t/data=!3m5!1e1!3m3!1sY26q8lllSdHGad5WJVNXDA!2e0!6s%2F%2Fgeo0.ggpht.com%2Fcbk%3Fpanoid%3DY26q8lllSdHGad5WJVNXDA%26output%3Dthumbnail%26cb_client%3Dmaps_sv.tactile.gps%26thumb%3D2%26w%3D203%26h%3D100%26yaw%3D113.276596%26pitch%3D0%26thumbfov%3D100

[RobbieL2415]

The power lines run right next to NC 12 and US 58 on the Outer Banks. The high-voltage variety.

I noticed today a really low-hanging set of utility wires crossing over the GSP outside Newark. Like, lower than truck height.

There are countless streets in the US that have railroads running in them with no grade separation.

[Michael]

My first thought when I saw this thread wasn't in a median, but this weird placement of a transmission line tower in a parking lot.  I first saw this as a little kid, and I thought it was weird then too.

I've seen DDIs with the sidewalk in the median through the "wrong way" portion, and thought it was unusual that it was there instead of on one or both sides of the bridge.  I also think it's weird that the pedestrian and bike path on I-205 near Portland, OR is in the median.

This Sheetz in Selinsgrove, PA is in the middle of a jughandle, which isn't quite a median, but it's still weird.  Further north on US 15, there's a house in the median just north of Trout Run, PA.  On the NY Thruway, the Angola service plaza is in the median.  As I typed that last sentence, I remembered the McDonald's that used to be in the median on the Chicago Skyway.

[dlsterner]

For other objects in a median - how about a cemetery?

On I-85 in South Carolina, just north of Exit 95, there is a small cemetery in the median.  Can't really see it too well through Google SV.

Here's some background information about it:   http://www.gribblenation.org/2019/01/the-cemetery-inside-interstate-85-median.html

[jay8g]

S Industrial Way in Seattle has some seriously massive transmission lines in the median. I suspect this was power line right-of-way that later had the road added.

Here's an example in Tacoma that's very similar to the ones in the original post.

There's a long stretch of I-5 along the Columbia River with both a railroad line and power lines running in a wide median.

This only kind of counts, since it's not visible aboveground, but the reason that much of Beacon Ave S in Seattle has such a wide median is that the Cedar River Pipeline -- several huge water mains that supply about half of Seattle's water -- are buried under it.

[roadfro]

A few from Las Vegas:

*N Decatur Blvd, between Vegas Dr & Smoke Ranch Rd has some power lines in the median. It's a narrower pole and median than many others linked above.
*I-515/US 93/US 95, just south of the Tropicana Ave Interchange has two power line poles in the median as the highway curves. The median widens out here to provide an access area for utility trucks.
*In a few places, but most notably along Sands Ave between Koval Ln & Paradise Rd and along Paradise Road between Sands Ave & Desert Inn Road, the Las Vegas Monorail line runs along the street with several support pillars located in the median. In a few different spots along Paradise, left turn pockets actually weave between the pillars.
*Most notably, the Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas sign is in the median of Las Vegas Blvd. Due to the tourist draw and safety issue of people darting across the traffic to take pictures at the sign, a parking lot was constructed in the median to provide safer access–the lot was later expanded and pedestrian crossing signals added. (Probably one of the few cases anywhere of a pedestrian signal designed to for people to cross to the median instead of the entire road.)


EDIT: Fixed link to Sands Ave example

[CardInLex]

In Louisville, Zorn Avenue features unusually wide medians with no landscaping or trees. The common driver won't know the reason why, but just beneath the surface of the median are large water mains carrying the city's drinking supply. In GSV you'll notice extra signs telling people to not park in the medians. Further down Zorn Ave, you'll see the historic Louisville Water Tower and pumping station.

https://goo.gl/maps/riUXoJNjQUJNVq688

Related fun fact: Louisville Water is consistently rated the best in the nation. It's so good, that it's trademarked and sold as "Pure Tap."  

[index]

A few from Las Vegas:

*In a few places, but most notably along Sands Ave between Koval Ln & Paradise Rd and along Paradise Road between Sands Ave & Desert Inn Road, the Las Vegas Monorail line runs along the street with several support pillars located in the median. In a few different spots along Paradise, left turn pockets actually weave between the pillars.

Reminds me of the DC Metro viaduct in Tysons Corner, kind of unusual in an area known for suburban sprawl, typically you'd only find elevated metro trains in places like Chicago and NYC.

https://www.google.com/maps/@38.9273148,-77.2401779,3a,75y,155.19h,90t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1spTvzXacUOTYTfIZA6QQYdA!2e0!6s%2F%2Fgeo2.ggpht.com%2Fcbk%3Fpanoid%3DpTvzXacUOTYTfIZA6QQYdA%26output%3Dthumbnail%26cb_client%3Dmaps_sv.tactile.gps%26thumb%3D2%26w%3D203%26h%3D100%26yaw%3D160.21951%26pitch%3D0%26thumbfov%3D100!7i13312!8i6656
While light rail running in medians isn't exactly uncommon, the lynx blue line in Charlotte runs in the median on US 29 and has some neat overpasses in doing so which aren't too common a sight.

https://www.google.com/maps/@35.2626558,-80.7718573,3a,87.9y,284.47h,94.09t/data=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1s0FK8UOlvcsEFWpw8C_02WA!2e0
https://www.google.com/maps/@35.2829095,-80.7641854,3a,15y,25.15h,90.36t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1s4ylTcKav3RdoXneCtuyjCQ!2e0!7i16384!8i8192

[kphoger]

*In a few places, but most notably along Sands Ave between Koval Ln & Paradise Rd

Link needs to be fixed.  You duplicated the Tropicana Ave interchange link.

[afiler]

I saw this thread a few days ago and today happened to run across this electrical tower in a traffic island in Carman, Manitoba



https://www.google.com/maps/@49.5024654,-98.001692,3a,75y,111.08h,100.76t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sHOwJ30oW1xyQcYSv-lA_0w!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

I've visited this part of Manitoba before and there's another neat thing to notice about the electrical network: farms with Single Wire Earth Return.

[roadman65]

Jefferson Davis Highway in Richmond, VA has the wooden power poles in the median.

[amroad17]

My first thought when I saw this thread wasn't in a median, but this weird placement of a transmission line tower in a parking lot.  I first saw this as a little kid, and I thought it was weird then too.

I've seen DDIs with the sidewalk in the median through the "wrong way" portion, and thought it was unusual that it was there instead of on one or both sides of the bridge.  I also think it's weird that the pedestrian and bike path on I-205 near Portland, OR is in the median.

This Sheetz in Selinsgrove, PA is in the middle of a jughandle, which isn't quite a median, but it's still weird.  Further north on US 15, there's a house in the median just north of Trout Run, PA.  On the NY Thruway, the Angola service plaza is in the median.  As I typed that last sentence, I remembered the McDonald's that used to be in the median on the Chicago Skyway.

Ah, good old Fairmount Fair.  The power lines have been there since the 1960's.  At that time, these power lines were near the end of the parking area.  There was only an empty field where Key Bank, Five Guys, and the other stores are now.  Sears used to be where the Michaels is now (not exactly--the east end of the Sears was where the Marshalls/Home Goods stores meets the wall of the Michaels).  The road leading out of the lot to Blueberry Lane was there back then.  We would use this as a shortcut to go from Fairmount Fair to the Western Lights Shopping Plaza if my parents were in a shopping mood (DestinyUSA wasn't even thought of back then, nor was any other mall built at that time).

[RobbieL2415]

The Bronx River Parkway is separated by a lake in the median at one point.

[roadman65]

The Bronx River Parkway is separated by a lake in the median at one point.

I think its the Sprain Brook you are referring to.

Plus the OP I think is looking specifically for power lines and not lakes or reservoirs.

[index]

The Bronx River Parkway is separated by a lake in the median at one point.

I think its the Sprain Brook you are referring to.

Plus the OP I think is looking specifically for power lines and not lakes or reservoirs.

Title says other objects, so what they're saying would count

[Brian556]

In some small towns in Oklahoma, they have objects inappropriately placed in the middle of the street. These objects include flag poles, business-style signs with changeable message sections, planters, ect.

Marshall, OK (town is practically dead):https://www.google.com/maps/@36.1539043,-97.6260342,3a,39.4y,101.79h,91.09t/data=!3m5!1e1!3m3!1sXDOlPTOF3B_vXCOPz4PCLg!2e0!6s%2F%2Fgeo1.ggpht.com%2Fcbk%3Fpanoid%3DXDOlPTOF3B_vXCOPz4PCLg%26output%3Dthumbnail%26cb_client%3Dmaps_sv.tactile.gps%26thumb%3D2%26w%3D203%26h%3D100%26yaw%3D259.67096%26pitch%3D0%26thumbfov%3D100

Ryan OK: https://www.google.com/maps/@34.0205904,-97.9573521,3a,52.3y,215.34h,82.11t/data=!3m5!1e1!3m3!1s4WQoNHuGz6HfOlZgG6Q_Iw!2e0!6s%2F%2Fgeo0.ggpht.com%2Fcbk%3Fpanoid%3D4WQoNHuGz6HfOlZgG6Q_Iw%26output%3Dthumbnail%26cb_client%3Dmaps_sv.tactile.gps%26thumb%3D2%26w%3D203%26h%3D100%26yaw%3D52.620148%26pitch%3D0%26thumbfov%3D100

In one town people were even putting garage sale signs in the middle of the street

[Henry]

Queens Road in Charlotte, NC has regular utility poles in the median, and they all have two streetlights attached to them.

[Beltway]

WMATA Metrorail aerial structure in the median of VA-7 Leesburg Pike in Tysons Corner.

https://www.google.com/maps/@38.9278808,-77.2407429,3a,37.5y,330.02h,87.34t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sy9wd3abmN_C6iTNTtpi3AQ!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

[kphoger]

The Dan Ryan and Eisenhower expressways in Chicago.

[plain]

Chestnut Ave in Newport News, VA has high voltage lines in its median north of Briarfield Rd
https://maps.app.goo.gl/xoV9GHaBXjTQYtC3A

Andrews Blvd in neighboring Hampton also has them
https://maps.app.goo.gl/9CQYgAth3jSh7cQ89

Jefferson Davis Highway in Richmond, VA has the wooden power poles in the median.

Semmes Ave (US 60), also in Richmond, has these
https://maps.app.goo.gl/D3fNjJoE1Wsxfm38A

Ditto for Grove Ave west of I-195
https://maps.app.goo.gl/x9cck1Xgo2dMHtaf9

EDIT: Also a stretch of Glenwood Ave (US 70) in Raleigh
https://maps.app.goo.gl/zWGt8SXsZq2AVzRF7

[PurdueBill]

Cumberland Ave. in West Lafayette, Indiana has had power lines down its median for a long time but with recent renovations and addition of roundabouts, the power lines were upgraded and changed to taller ones on metal poles from the old wooden ones.  Some of the metal ones are inside roundabouts even. 

[Road Hog]

Oncor proposed a few years ago to run high tension lines down the middle of some roads in Frisco and the whole town crapped a brick. To my knowledge, no lines down any median.