What’s that Giant Hole?

You may have noticed some giant holes surrounded by wooden fencing appearing along the streetcar route. This is part of the utility relocation and improvement work being conducted by Duke Energy.

Recently, two of these giant holes were created near Washington Park on Race Street and 12th Street as Duke upgraded its power transformers. In a suburban neighborhood, these transformers are what you’d typically see up on poles, but in the city, they are buried underneath the street. Many of the old transformers in Over-the-Rhine are in need of modernization as they have been insulated with asbestos. Transformer upgrades are one of many utility improvements made possible by funding from the streetcar construction contract.