Emerson Bridge decorative lights return soon

Business Today

The decorative lights intended to illuminate the cables and towers of the Bill Emerson Memorial Bridge in Cape Girardeau will remain dark for a few more weeks.

Hubbell Lighting of Christiansburg, Va., has a branch location that is remaking the trim that holds the lens in place, said Keith Robinson, project manager for the contractor, Sachs Electric.

The lights were turned off March 11 because water had seeped into the fixtures and was accumulating. The Missouri Department of Transportation was concerned the lights would short out and create a hazard.

Robinson said the fixtures are marine-rated, but the design had been changed slightly over the past few years. Also the lights were not normally used pointing straight up as they are on the Emerson Bridge.

Sachs took delivery of the light fixtures last summer, Robinson said. Hubbell changed its design shortly after that, incorporating the trim that is supposed to keep the water out. Apparently Hubbell did not realize the parts it had shipped to Sachs were not the updated versions.

Hubbell will absorb the costs of remanufacturing the parts for the lights.

Robinson said Sachs expects to receive the new parts for the lights in about a week. Then it will take Sachs about a week to install them.