Joint use has always been part of utility work, but it has taken on greater importance as demand for pole space continues to grow. From broadband expansion to equipment upgrades and other community uses of utility poles, more organizations are looking for access to shared infrastructure. For utilities, that means balancing requests from attaching entities with the need to protect system safety, reliability, and long-term planning.
At Emerald PUD in Eugene, Oregon, that balance has become a bigger focus in recent years. EPUD has long worked with communications providers and other organizations that attach to its poles, but the utility saw an opportunity to take a closer look at its process, improve consistency, and create clearer expectations for everyone involved. The result has been a stronger, more structured joint use program—one that supports better communication, clearer documentation, and a more coordinated approach to managing shared infrastructure.
As more equipment is added to utility poles, each attachment requires careful review, coordination, documentation, and follow-up. What may have once been treated as a mostly administrative task has become an important part of utility operations, system planning, and reliability work.
A turning point
For many years, EPUD managed joint use work much like many other utilities have—as one part of a much larger operational workload. Attachment reviews, inspections, transfers, and compliance follow-up were handled across multiple positions and departments. The work got done, but as requests for pole access increased, it became harder to maintain the level of consistency and oversight the utility wanted.
The January 2024 ice storm brought many of those challenges into sharper focus. As crews worked to restore power and rebuild damaged portions of the system, they also had an opportunity to look closely at pole conditions across the district. In some cases, the issues they found were tied directly to storm damage. In others, they reflected longer-standing challenges, such as older attachments, incomplete records, or installations that no longer aligned with current standards. The storm did not create those issues, but it made them harder to ignore.
For EPUD, the experience reinforced that joint use is not just paperwork or a side responsibility. Pole attachments affect system reliability, worker safety, public safety, and the long-term health of the electric system. Managing them well requires clear standards, consistent follow-through, and good communication with the organizations that share utility infrastructure.
Building a more structured program
After the storm, EPUD began taking a closer look at how joint use work was being handled and where the process could be improved. The utility updated standards and agreements, refined internal procedures, and created a dedicated joint use specialist position to help manage attachment requests from start to finish. The goal was to make the process clearer, more consistent, and easier for everyone to understand. That structure was intended to support EPUD and the attaching entities that rely on access to the utility’s poles.
“The goal has never been to create obstacles for attaching companies,” said EPUD Joint Use Specialist Mike Bonertz. “The goal is to build a process that protects the electric system while helping all parties work together more effectively.”
Today, attachment requests follow a more defined path. EPUD reviews pole capacity, verifies clearances, identifies needed make-ready work, and reviews projects before installation begins. After construction, the utility conducts inspections to make sure the work meets National Electrical Safety Code requirements and EPUD standards.
The program also covers more than traditional communications attachments. EPUD receives requests for items such as cameras, banners, seasonal decorations, temporary event lighting, and other community uses of utility poles. Each request must be reviewed with safety, structural loading, access, and long-term maintenance in mind.
Challenges remain
Even with stronger processes in place, joint use work is rarely simple. Unauthorized attachments, unreported transfers, out-of-sequence construction, and noncompliant installations still require attention. EPUD has also had to work through the challenges that come with moving from a less formal process to a more structured one. That transition takes communication, patience, and a willingness from all parties to adjust.
Clear expectations, documentation requirements, and construction sequencing standards are more rigorous than they were in the past. Establishing those expectations and applying them consistently has taken time, but it has also helped create a better process.
Legacy attachments remain one of the more difficult issues. Some older attachments are undocumented, abandoned, or hard to verify. Others may have been installed under standards that have since changed. Correcting those issues takes time, but EPUD sees that work as an important part of improving reliability and maintaining a safer system.
Improvements for everyone
One of the most noticeable improvements has been consistency. With a dedicated position focused on joint use, standards are applied more uniformly and questions receive quicker responses. Attaching entities have a clear point of contact, which has improved communication, coordination, and issue resolution.
The changes have also helped strengthen relationships with communications providers and other attaching entities.
“What encourages me most is the level of cooperation we’ve developed,” Bonertz said. “The conversations we’re having today with attaching entities are far more proactive and productive than they were just a few years ago.”
EPUD has also strengthened its inspection program. Post-installation audits help identify deficiencies early and ensure corrective action happens before small issues become larger problems. Over time, that approach has improved installation quality and reduced repeat concerns.
The utility has benefited internally as well. Joint use activities are now better integrated into project planning and construction workflows. Staff receive earlier notification when projects begin, have better visibility throughout the process, and receive clearer communication when work is complete. That coordination has reduced delays and helped close communication gaps.
“One of the things I’m most proud of is how the program has become integrated into our daily operations,” said EPUD Staking Supervisor Chris Silva. “Joint use is no longer an afterthought—it’s an important part of how we plan, build, and maintain our system.”
Learning from others
EPUD’s efforts have extended beyond its own service territory. Through quarterly meetings and ongoing collaboration with neighboring utilities, staff regularly share experiences, challenges, and lessons learned related to attachment management. The conversations have helped build relationships among joint use professionals throughout the region and created opportunities to exchange practical ideas and solutions.
Those relationships are especially valuable when unusual or complex situations come up. Utilities throughout the region often face similar challenges involving legacy attachments, changing construction standards, and new communications technologies. Having a network of peers gives staff a place to compare approaches, discuss lessons learned, and identify practices that can be adapted locally. Rather than each utility solving the same problems on its own, the collaboration allows participants to learn from one another’s successes and missteps. It also helps create more consistency for communications companies that work across multiple utility territories.
Silva said the program’s progress reflects a broader commitment across the organization to improve processes and work collaboratively.
“The progress we’ve made is the result of a team effort,” Silva said. “Operations, staking, engineering, GIS, and our joint users have all played a role in creating a stronger and more reliable process.”
Looking ahead
EPUD’s joint use program will continue to evolve as demand for pole space grows and new technologies place additional pressure on shared infrastructure. The work is ongoing, but the utility now has a stronger foundation in place: clearer processes, better documentation, improved inspections, and stronger relationships with the organizations that attach to its poles. Those changes have made joint use work more consistent and easier to manage across the organization. They have also helped EPUD plan more effectively, respond to issues sooner, and maintain better visibility into the condition and use of its pole system.
For EPUD, the biggest lesson has been that joint use cannot be treated as an afterthought. It is part of how utilities protect reliability, support community needs, and make sure shared infrastructure is managed safely and responsibly. Utility poles are shared infrastructure and managing them well takes shared responsibility. When utilities and attaching entities work from clear expectations, consistent standards, and open communication, the result is a stronger process for everyone involved.
