In my area the purpose is to keep the phone company repair guys employed when the brain dead county roadworkers mow over their terminal pedestals! This would not happen if the mowing was done by a private contractor because they actually have to be competent at what they do or they're out of business. Kind of like how most building inspectors are failed contractors. So basically , you get all the people who can't hack it in the real world telling you how to run your life. Brilliant