Committee approves four new streetlights on Theodore Lane; city to pay estimated $100 monthly electricity cost

Norwalk’s Public Safety and General Governments Committee unanimously authorized the Department of Public Works on Feb. 27 to direct Eversource Electric to install four LED streetlights on existing utility poles along Theodore Lane, following a neighborhood petition citing pedestrian safety and unwanted nighttime activity in the cul-de-sac.

Paul Satnick, senior engineer in the Department of Public Works, told the committee the petition identified safety concerns at the Theodore Lane–Murray Street intersection and in the cul-de-sac; he reviewed the site with Public Works operations chief Vanessa Valadares and with Eversource. Satnick said the work would use existing poles and that under the city’s contract with Eversource the utility would install arms and luminaires at no installation cost to the city; only the power cost would be charged to the city. He said the lights would be controlled under unmetered “Rate 116” service and estimated the electricity cost at about $25 per pole — roughly $100 per month for the four lights.

Satnick described pole locations: an arm at the Murray–Theodore intersection angled to light that corner, fixtures mounted to illuminate the stretch of Theodore Lane near numbers 3 and 17, and a fixture oriented to light the cul-de-sac.

Committee members asked whether the $100/month figure covered all four fixtures and whether there were installation charges; Satnick confirmed the city pays only the unmetered monthly rate for existing-pole installations and that lead times for installation vary with Eversource’s workload and storm response. The motion to authorize Public Works to proceed with the Eversource work order passed unanimously.

If the Common Council approves the committee action at a subsequent meeting, Public Works will issue the work order to Eversource; the utility’s schedule will determine when crews can mount the arms and luminaires.