Let their be light

Hey LAAG's not all bad news. LAAG likes city improvements. Not sure about the cost. Give the figures below (we assume total cost to city) is $2,750.00 per pole. No detail provided as to whether the lights will also be improved in terms of brighter, whiter and more energy conscious in the Press Telegram article. Hopefully SCE will shed some light on this. Actually its quite funny as LAAG learned this week from an SCE employee on the job that SCE was not responsible for light pole maintenance. LAAG was informed that a private entity called "City Light and Power" bought all the poles. Sure enough we see a 1997(!!) press release from their website. Seems at odds with the Press Telegram story also below.

http://www.clpinc.com/press/1197.htm
Innovative agreement to make streets brighter
City of Lakewood, California, November 1997

The Lakewood City Council has approved an innovative agreement to turn over operation of the city-owned street lighting system to a private company. Lakewood has two street lighting systems -- about 75% of the city is lighted by a city-owned system, the remainder is owned by the Edison Company.

Under the agreement, City Light and Power will upgrade the city's aging street lighting circuits, increase nighttime illumination by raising the wattage on street lamps, and maintain the improved system for twenty-five years. The cost savings from reduced energy consumption will fund the cost of improving the street lighting system.

Operation of the system will cost no more than the city's current operating budget for street lighting, with the added bonus for Lakewood residents that the city's fault-prone and antiquated street lighting system will be fully modernized. City Light and Power will be responsible for street light maintenance and will offer "same-day service" to replace burned out street lights. CLP will also dispatch repairs for the Edison-owned lighting system. Residents, no matter where they live in Lakewood, will have a single number to call to get street light repairs.

The CLP agreement, say city officials, fits with Lakewood's tradition of turning to private enterprise to provide lower-cost municipal services. The improvements CLP will build into their upgrade of the street lighting system would have cost Lakewood $7-$8 million.

Edison to update Lakewood lighting
By Karen Robes, Staff writer
Article Launched: 10/16/2007 09:53:14 PM PDT

LAKEWOOD - Starting next week, Southern California Edison plans to shed some new light on the city.

The power company will begin on Monday a $2.2 million, three-month effort to replace 800 deteriorating steel street light poles throughout town with new 30-foot concrete poles featuring cobra-head light fixtures and flat glass lenses.

Work will begin in the northwestern portion of Lakewood, an area bordered by Ashworth and South streets and Palo Verde and Hayter avenues, said Ben Harvey of Edison.

The work should not affect traffic flow, since most of the poles being replaced are in residential areas, Harvey said.

The work in Lakewood is part of Edison's 20-year plan, worth more than $200 million, to replace 90,000 aging poles within its service territory.

Since beginning the program in 1998, Edison has replaced 10,000 steel poles with longer-lasting concrete ones. Concrete polls have a life span of 80 to 100 years, depending on climate and other weather factors.

Money for the work is derived from Edison's infrastructure replacement program, Harvey said.

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