Shelton pulls plug on 114 streetlights | Public Spaces

It will take a few months to flip the switch, but city leaders in Shelton have agreed to turn off streetlights in an effort to save money.

On a 2-1 vote Monday night, the Shelton City Commission approved a measure to turn off 114 of the city’s 860 streetlights.

The original proposal included as many as 180 lights. The decorative lights on Railroad Avenue were pulled from the proposal because they were paid for by a local improvement district.

Shelton Police Chief Terry Davenport asked city leaders to postpone a decision in recent months so residents could weigh in on the issue.

Turning off the lights will cost money before it saves any. The city will have to pay Mason County PUD 3 about $2,000 to shut off the power. With the lights out, the city would save about $20,000 a year.

Mayor John Tarrant was the lone vote against the proposal, saying the plan isn’t an efficient way to save money.

“I know every bit helps but one thing I don’t want to do is compromise public safety. For the savings, I just don't think it's worth it,” Tarrant said. “But I also have to hand it to the staff and the police department. Most small towns are finding themselves in the same situation – trying to ride out the recession by looking at efficiencies.”

Tarrant said the commission agreed to turn off the lights in three phases and review safety concerns after each segment goes dark.

The first phase includes 54 lights from Railroad Avenue north to Wallace Kneeland Boulevard and will be shut off in the next few months.

Police studied crime trends, pedestrian and car traffic, and existing light sources before bringing the proposal to the commission.

Tarrant said only about a dozen residents visited the police department to view maps showing the lights in each area of the city that would be shut off.

Other cities and towns in California, Massachusetts, Maine, and Minnesota have already pulled the plug to save money. Cities across the nation, including Seattle, are also installing energy-saving LED streetlights to curb costs.