Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Greenway Lighting topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Olive Crossing Greenway segment could get targeted lighting for safety, staff say
Summary
Public Works Director Bruce McGregor presented options for lighting a remote Greenway segment through Olivette's light industrial area, recommending a limited, smart-controlled solution to balance safety and dark‑sky preferences; council gave direction to continue planning.
Public Works Director Bruce McGregor told the City of Olivette council on July 14 that staff and GRG designers have considered a range of lighting options for the final Greenway segment running through a former railroad corridor in the city's light industrial area.
McGregor said the corridor’s remoteness and topography make it unlike neighborhood parks and that lighting could improve safety for early-morning or dusk users. “We said, well, at certain areas along the trail, we always have our emergency locator number… we can certainly put in a call box,” McGregor said, adding that the study outlines solar, underground line-voltage and pole-mounted roadway lighting as alternatives.
He described modern control strategies that would limit night illumination: fixtures could turn on at dusk, drop to a low setting, and brighten temporarily when motion is detected. McGregor cautioned that utility‑pole fixtures provided by Ameren may limit the city’s ability to substitute “smart” fixtures and noted that solar fixtures typically require more ongoing, fixture‑level maintenance than line‑voltage installations.
The City Manager confirmed that GRG had recommended including lighting in the construction package so it could be built with the corridor; after a one‑year contractor maintenance period, the city would assume long‑term upkeep. McGregor said the decision has not been made and that GRG must still finalize design drawings and bid documents.
Council members asked about hours, maintenance costs and comparable segments. McGregor said staff favors avoiding utility‑pole mounted fixtures where practical and is considering a hybrid approach—mixing solar and line voltage where each makes sense—to find the best benefit‑cost balance.
Why it matters: the corridor is a strategic link in the regional cycling and walking network; council’s direction to staff to continue planning keeps lighting as an option while preserving dark‑sky and neighborhood concerns.
What’s next: staff will refine cost and maintenance estimates, coordinate with GRG and, if agreeable, bring formal proposals and specifications back to council for a later vote.
