lOCAL GOVERNMENTS ALL OVER THE NATION ARE EXPLORING DIFFERENT IDEAS TO SAVE TAXPAYER DOLLARS. What do you think about this suggestion?
Stamford may dim half the lights on streets
By Martin B. Cassidy Staff Writer 11/03/2008 02:55:45 AM EST STAMFORD -
To combat rising energy costs, city engineers are considering shutting down
about half the street lights between midnight and dawn starting next year.
Engineers requested $300,000 for the project in the 2009-10 capital budget,
but the initiative cannot move forward until Connecticut Light & Power
establishes reduced rates, which state energy regulators must approve, City
Engineer Louis Casolo said. It's unlikely the change would be considered for
downtown streets that are busy at night, Casolo said. "This is a concept
idea with a lot of merit, especially today, when everyone is looking at
other ways to conserve power and fuel," Casolo said. "It is definitely a
smart thing to consider in the right locations." Under the proposal, about
half the city's 9,600 street lamps could be outfitted with one of two
systems, Casolo said. One system would place timers on street lamps that
switch them off at 2 or 3 a.m. The second system uses wireless technology to
shut off the lights from a central site, Casolo said. The city now pays
CL&P a flat nightly rate per street light, whether the light is on or off,
Casolo said. The proposal could save the city $250,000 a year or more, said
Benjamin Barnes, director of the Office of Operations. "Certain lights
would shut down at an earlier time," Barnes said. "We could save a
considerable amount of money by having some of our lights having reduced
hours of operations. Of course, there are other reasons not to do
Advertisement it that have to be considered." Residents said the
reasons include the potential for increased accidents and criminal activity.
Peter Passaro, 38, who lives in Springdale, said he would be concerned about
darkening the streets. "Anywhere they did it would have to be on a trial
basis and should depend on how the people in that area feel about it,"
Passaro said. Jewel Evans of Sundance Road said residents will be concerned
about safety. "I think it would have to be looked at pretty hard," Evans
said. The project would have to be approved by the Planning Board, Chairman
Duane Hill said, before being sent to the mayor as part of the proposed
capital budget. "Our consideration of this is in the preliminary stages,"
Hill said. The state Department of Public Utility Control ordered CL&P to
file a proposal to establish rates for "half night" street lighting for
cities the next time it seeks a rate hike, DPUC spokeswoman Beryl Lyons
said. CL&P spokesman Mitch Gross said the company has not set a date for
filing a proposal or seeking a rate change. "We're still working out
details as to that proposed rate," Gross said. "We cannot introduce it until
we file a rate case, and have no plans to file a rate case for the
foreseeable future." - Staff Writer Martin B. Cassidy can be reached at
martin.cassidy@scni.com or 964-2264.
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24 comments:
Basically a good idea. I remember when this was done in the 1970s in Yonkers, in various municipalities in Westchester, and on highways throughout the region. It would need to be assessed by the police department from a safety/security standpoint on a street by street basis.
Perhaps the savings could be used to install the long-needed traffic signal at Sprain and Ardsley Roads. In the meantime, PLEASE install two more stop signs to make it a four-way stop ASAP. It's so dangerous, especially with the tall bushes on the SW corner property blocking visibility. (Can the town tell the owners to trim them down?)
I have been thinking of along the same lines for the past couple of weeks -- for both ecological and budgetary reasons.
I see no need for stright lights on tertiary streets between Midnight and say 5:00 am from Sunday through Thursday nights. Main and secondary streets (streets with the double yellow line) probably should not be changed although a dimming of the lights is a good idea.
Frank Kaiman
Tell me who will decide where or where not to have good lighting.
Without lights some of these streets are dangerous.
You can rest assured that the lighting in Fairview will stay as is.
Great dim down the lights and it will be easier for burglaries to happen. Then we will need more police protection and we will be back to square one. Get rid of town vehicles going home at the end of the day. I pay high gas prices high insurance and high taxes. Let the people that only pay taxes feel the same pinch as everyone else.
To be honest, the lights are already very dim (and intermittently working) up in Manor Woods.
lights actually help burglars see so going dark is often the best alternative.
We live in a new world. Corporations are laying off employees. Residents can't afford to pay high taxes when we're out of work. We should investigate the feasibility of cuts such as this one.
How about a posting which starts out:
"I heard about what Stamford is doing and the FIRST thing I did was look into it to see if it would work here. My research indicates that if Greenburgh were to do the same, residents would save $?????.
I think this is a good idea, what do you think?"
Instead, all we get is the sizzle and not the steak. Or, if you prefer think of a lot of hot air balloons being released without a driver on board. And, does anyone believe that the City of Stamford, having a central business district, is the blueprint for Greenburgh?
What's next? 2 minute comment at Town Meetings so the meetings can end earlier and the lights go off sooner?
Go to any Town Board meeting -- we have many dim lights. They are all sitting up front.
Definitely a good idea.
That Feiner should be Mayor of Stamford?
no - that the burned out non energy star filaments named juettner and sheehan should be replaced
What else are you going to take away from us.
Aren't you happy enough with taking our money to spend foolishly now you want to take our lives away with all the accidents this would cause.
There are too many people who park on the roadways to put the no street lights law into action.
Get the cars off the roads and maybe I said maybe it would help.
I appreciate new ideas and think the Stamford model should be considered.
The only dim lights are on the town board
Mr. Feiner: Did you do any analysis before posting this?
The only dim here is the dimwits who post like Hal.
Typical Feiner idea - it will have NO effect on taxes, but will distract attention from the real issues.
Simple idea:
Expenses MUST be LESS than Revenues.
That is the ONLY way taxes can decrease.
One Question. There are no on & off switches on the street lights so how would the town accomplish this task. First Paul will spend money on a study, then a consultant, then we will invest in the technology to be able to turn these lights off. As typically in this Town Paul will spend $300,000 to save $3,000.
never happy are you. Come up with some constructive idea's yourself.
HOW ABOUT GOING BACK TO GAS LIGHTS.
I have a great idea to save money.
Stop asking the department heads to cut out the waste.
You want to find the Wast talk to the town employees all of them, that aren't in management. We witness a lot of things that could save the town money.
Let Management worry about their jobs a little bit instead of putting the rest of us on a chopping block
Dear 10:41
give us examples. Be specific.
That's right talk to some of the workers and you will find out all the things that are wrong.
They work their butts off but where the hell is the higher ups.
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