Every day, new holes appear. That's not necessarily a bad thing, because laying fiber-optic cable or new conduits of various types is a sign of progress. But every day, the folks who dig them continue to walk away and leave the damage unrestored. Come to think of it, maybe not. If we look at the city's record on fixing problems created by its own work on sewer and water lines and so forth, the council's comedy turns to farce.
Some people think of Atlanta as a city of trees.
By actual count, though, a better symbol may instead be manhole covers that are installed inches below the level of the surrounding roadway. Maybe that explains why the telecom companies and utilities are apparently just ignoring the new, supposedly tougher law. They drive on the same streets the rest of us do. Richard Matthews' column appears on Thursday.