Jackson aldermen to take up lighting proposal

Bigger and brighter street lights should welcome motorists driving into Jackson on U.S. 61 sometime after the first of the year.

After being denied several grants to fund engineering for the East Jackson Boulevard streetscape lighting project, the city's Board of Aldermen will vote today on whether to spend $23,700 to fund the engineering portion of the project.

"What we're wanting to do is put up lights along East Jackson Boulevard, similar to what Cape has done along west Kingshighway," said Don Shuette, director of electrical utilities. "The lights will come in from the Interstate 55 interchange into town up to the area where Taco Bell is."

Mayor Paul Sander said that it is the board's intention to get lighting put along the street.

"It will not only be helpful but it will aesthetically help tie the two communities of Cape and Jackson together," he said.

After the engineering portion is complete, Shuette said he will provide an estimate of what the lights will cost and the board will then be required to vote on a contractor for the project.

The type of lighting Shuette will propose are metal halide lights, rather than high pressure sodium lights. Metal halide lighting is typically seen at football and baseball games.

"The halides are white lights and the sodium lights are more of a yellowish color," he said. "You get better usage out of the halides and in rainstorms, they're easier to see."

Engineering for the lighting project should begin immediately after the board of alderman vote.

Sander said funding is available from the transportation budget.

jfreeze@semissourian.com

Want to go?

* What: Jackson Board of Alderman regular meeting

* When: 7:30 p.m. today

* Where: City Hall