Streetlight study confirms some residential areas in town are too dim

By Cal Braid
Taber Times
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

After receiving multiple complaints of poor lighting on a number of streets in Taber, two summer students, Samuel Orwa and Ryan McDonald, collected data in a study to evaluate the quality of the town’s streetlights after dark. At an April 8 meeting of Town council, Ramin Lahiji, engineering and public works manager, gave a presentation that explained the findings of the study.

The staff walked every street and avenue in residential areas and collected data to determine if additional lighting was necessary to brighten up those streets at night. The conclusion was that certain residential streets and avenues do not receive a suitable amount of light. The students measured the brightness of each area using a Lux meter, which has a sensor that measures the light falling on it and provides the user with a measurable illuminance reading (Lux units).

Lahiji said, “The underlying issue is not the brightness of the lamp posts, but rather the lack of streetlights and the distance between the current lamp posts. He said that three factors contribute to the uneven lighting throughout the town: inconsistent lamp post distance, inconsistent lamp brightness, and tree height and placement. The preferred standard is to have lamp posts placed at 40 metre intervals.

Lahiji gave council members three options to consider:

Option one- a one-time fixture and pole replacement, including replacement of all the current light fixtures and addition of poles throughout the town at 40 metre intervals. The option would require a one-time capital cost of $3.7 million plus annual operating costs of about $350,000.  Added light expenses would be $35 per month per added light and additional tree trimming would cost $300 per tree every three to five years.

Option two would be a phased approach of either three blocks per year at a total cost $48,780 per year over an estimated 83 years -or- 10 Blocks per year at a total cost of $162,600 per year over 25 years. The specifics of expenditure were further detailed in the meeting agenda.

Option three, and the approach recommended by the administration, would be to simply add light posts as needed. The Town would focus on a limited number of blocks in the first year and include the lighting upgrades as capital projects. It would upgrade a minimum of five blocks each year over approximately 50 years. The projects would start in 2025 with three blocks in the south of Taber and two blocks in the north with an approximate cost of $85,000.

Coun. Firth asked how the Town would select residential areas to target first for new streetlights. Lahiji said he had a “very detailed map” based on the student’s walkthrough and that it would be used to select the most poorly-lit areas.

Chris Eagan, director of planning, engineering, and operations, answered a question from Coun. Bekkering about a simple fix like replacing the bulbs and Eagan explained the difference between older bulbs and more modern ones. “In the past if you used a high-pressure sodium light, that light would degrade over time. Modern heads with the LEDs are very consistent up to the point where they just simply fail, but they also have a very long life and are very economical.”

Lahiji reiterated, “That’s not the main problem. It is one of the problems, (but) even if you brighten that as much as you can, when the tree is sitting right next to it, it will not go anywhere. Or the distance will play a factor.”

Coun. Sorenson offered that consideration for the safety of all citizens should be prioritized, and Coun. Remfert said that since the complaints were brought to his attention he began to notice the lack of light in certain areas throughout town.

With the budget being a limiting factor, the agenda noted that upgrading or installing streetlights would not qualify for any of Fortis Alberta’s community grants, but the provincial and federal government may have grant opportunities through the MCCAC and Green Municipal Fund.

Lahiji and Eagan recommended combining tree trimming with added light posts as a cost-effective approach. Eagan said there are about 17,000 trees on the boulevards in town and those compete with the light standards.

Coin. Bekkering made a motion to direct the administration to proceed with option three, with $85,000 to be funded from the 2024 capital reserves. Council voted unanimously in favour.