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Board debates streetlighting options for Christian Mill bridge; local funding would be required
Summary
Select Board discussed adding pedestrian‑scale lighting to the Christian Mill Bridge as historic mitigation; board members favored basic safety lighting but noted matching Main Street fixtures would add local cost for conduit and installation; estimate ballpark $30,000.
Town public works and select board members discussed whether to add streetlights as part of the federally funded Christian Mill Bridge project and which type of fixtures to install.
DPW staff presented options including standard Eversource‑supplied LED pole lighting, more decorative Main Street‑style fixtures that require conduit and additional local work, or solar alternatives. The board noted that conduit, wiring and historic‑style posts increase costs well beyond a single pole purchase; one estimate from a previous Main Street project mentioned a $61,000 alternate for lights in 2016 and participants estimated current costs could be in the tens of thousands of dollars. “This would be fully local cost,” a staff member said.
Board members expressed support for providing at least basic lighting for pedestrian safety if sidewalks are included on the replacement bridge, but were cautious about committing large sums. One member recommended pursuing a simple LED option for safety now and reconsidering decorative, higher‑cost fixtures later to avoid re‑digging later work.
The board asked staff to obtain more detailed price estimates from engineers and to explore three financing options: Eversource conventional lighting, a solar fixture option, or decorative conduit‑fed fixtures to match Main Street. Staff said the town would pay installation and ongoing electrical costs for locally funded fixtures.
Why it matters: the Christian Mill Bridge is historically sensitive and board members framed added lighting as historic mitigation and as a public‑safety enhancement if new pedestrian facilities are added. Any decorative fixtures would be a town expense and require design work and conduit installation ahead of construction to avoid duplicated excavation.
