The effort to brighten up areas around Spring Bayou at night has been a pet project on the city's to-do list for a number of years. A step toward getting to work was taken last Tuesday when commissioners gave a thumbs-up to the amended plan.
Eliciting the most positive feedback was Public Works Director Tom Funcheon's presentation of projected costs. The plan, consisting of 19 new, decorative light poles and potentially four replacements for existing fixtures, originally came to a total of $172,920.
The key behind slicing nearly $85,000 off the price tag is doing the majority of the work in-house as opposed to contracting it all out. Some outside electrical work is expected to be required, City Manager Mark LeCouris said, but as much labor as possible will be conducted by city employees. The project as a whole is still in the planning stages and no dates have been set in terms of construction or completion.
An additional $18,000 may be tacked onto that $88,000 cost if replacement lights are desired at the platform area that juts out into the bayou.
Getting the item back on the agenda for discussion was Commissioner Townsend Tarapani, who requested it during the meeting prior in late February.
"I just want to express my excitement for this project," he said. "I think it's truly a common sense project for the town. I can't tell you how many people throughout the year come up to me and say, "Wow, the city's really doing some good things with the beautification program.
"I think this is a strong way to continue that trend and continue to show the citizens that their money is being wisely spent in a variety of different ways."
Beyond aesthetics, an additional benefit to the added lighting is public safety for pedestrians desiring to walk the bayou at night.
"Walking the bayou, as you know, gets a little dark during the evening," Funcheon said, adding that the project may increase foot traffic in the area.
Something the city said it's been careful to address in the design phase is spacing of lights. It's been deemed that 100 feet between each fixture should be adequate, Funcheon said.
Based on their efficiency and for city-wide uniformity, the bulbs installed will be light-emitting diodes (LEDs). LEDs are used in similar light fixtures lining Lemon Street and Tarpon Avenue. Solar options were explored, Funcheon said, but upfront costs were considered significantly higher than LEDs.
Lights are to begin at the stairway of Beekman Drive and go around the bayou to the northwest, ending across from the three-way intersection of Canal Street, Reed Street and Spring Boulevard. This spacing, the city said, should provide adequate lighting for pedestrians without overwhelming the bayou and its residents. Light poles themselves are planned to line the outside edge of the sidewalk in relation to the bayou.
Eliciting the most positive feedback was Public Works Director Tom Funcheon's presentation of projected costs. The plan, consisting of 19 new, decorative light poles and potentially four replacements for existing fixtures, originally came to a total of $172,920.
The key behind slicing nearly $85,000 off the price tag is doing the majority of the work in-house as opposed to contracting it all out. Some outside electrical work is expected to be required, City Manager Mark LeCouris said, but as much labor as possible will be conducted by city employees. The project as a whole is still in the planning stages and no dates have been set in terms of construction or completion.
An additional $18,000 may be tacked onto that $88,000 cost if replacement lights are desired at the platform area that juts out into the bayou.
Getting the item back on the agenda for discussion was Commissioner Townsend Tarapani, who requested it during the meeting prior in late February.
"I just want to express my excitement for this project," he said. "I think it's truly a common sense project for the town. I can't tell you how many people throughout the year come up to me and say, "Wow, the city's really doing some good things with the beautification program.
"I think this is a strong way to continue that trend and continue to show the citizens that their money is being wisely spent in a variety of different ways."
Beyond aesthetics, an additional benefit to the added lighting is public safety for pedestrians desiring to walk the bayou at night.
"Walking the bayou, as you know, gets a little dark during the evening," Funcheon said, adding that the project may increase foot traffic in the area.
Something the city said it's been careful to address in the design phase is spacing of lights. It's been deemed that 100 feet between each fixture should be adequate, Funcheon said.
Based on their efficiency and for city-wide uniformity, the bulbs installed will be light-emitting diodes (LEDs). LEDs are used in similar light fixtures lining Lemon Street and Tarpon Avenue. Solar options were explored, Funcheon said, but upfront costs were considered significantly higher than LEDs.
Lights are to begin at the stairway of Beekman Drive and go around the bayou to the northwest, ending across from the three-way intersection of Canal Street, Reed Street and Spring Boulevard. This spacing, the city said, should provide adequate lighting for pedestrians without overwhelming the bayou and its residents. Light poles themselves are planned to line the outside edge of the sidewalk in relation to the bayou.