Another Light Pole Falls In The Loop -- How Does This Keep On Happening?
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Light poles across the city continue to pose a major risk to both pedestrians and drivers.
Another one fell in the Loop at Adams Street and Wabash Avenue just Monday morning. No one was injured, and the the city said wind was to blame.
On Monday night, CBS 2's Meredith Barack looked into how this is happening time and time again.
"When you have a combination of high wind and light poles that already have a weakened base, that is when the probability of having these light poles fall over increases," said Dr. Sammy Tin, a professor of Materials Science and Engineering at the Illinois Institute of Technology.
Dr. Tin has worked with the CBS 2 Investigators since 2015 to expose decaying light poles.
"Under certain circumstances, if the maintenance is not made to these poles on a regular basis, then there's potential for these poles to fail and fall over," Tin said.
The pole that fell on Monday is just one of several dangerous light poles into which the CBS 2 investigators have looked.
In 2019, a light pole fell and injured a woman near LaSalle and Lake streets in the Loop.
And in February of 2020, a rusted city light pole fell onto the car of a 25-year-old in Streeterville, leaving her with a concussion and other injuries.
RELATED: Rusty, Falling Light Poles In City Called 'Real Ticking Time Bomb' | City Says It's Saving $10 Million A Year With New LED Streetlights, But Structural Integrity Of Poles Is Not Being Checked | City Was Warned About Damaged Light Poles Years Before One Fell On Woman | Neighbors Alarmed After Light Pole Falls Across Southbound Lake Shore Drive In Gold Coast/a> | Rusty, Corroded Light Poles Continue To Be Problem Across City
Data from 311 show 970 total complaints of damage to light poles so far in 2021.
In the Loop alone, there have been 214 total complaints of light pole damage so far this year.
But none were made for the light pole at Adams and Wabash until 7:56 a.m. Monday, when the light pole fell.
The city would only confirm wind knocked it over, and said they would get back to us as to whether or not they were looking into rust on the base.
Dr. Tin said to prevent this from happening again, regular inspections are necessary - especially if the city wants to prevent falling poles from hurting people or damaging property.
RELATED: After Light Pole Falls Downtown, Expert Says City Inspections Are Long Overdue | Overhead Pole Falls Onto SUV On Stony Island Avenue; Problem Of Falling Light Poles Goes Back Years | Falling Light Poles In Streeterville Could Be Due In Part To Dog Urine, Expert Says | Community Concerned After Rusted Street Light Collapse | Chicago's Stoplight Pole Problems Plague Drivers, Pedestrians | 2 Investigators: Where Light Poles May Fall Next | 2 Investigators: Rusted Light Poles 'Very Worrisome' | 2 Investigators: Rusty Light Poles A Danger Across Chicago
Light pole improvement could be on the horizon.
In November 2020, Mayor Lori Lightfoot announced a five-year capital plan that included $112.3 million to replace 4,000 aging light poles.
