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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1926-09-07355 SPECIAL MEETING, September 7, 1926. ' A special meeting of the Board of Selectmen was held at the Selectmen's Office at 5:00 P. M. Messrs. Cu,stance, Burnham, Miles, Ballard, and Robertson were present. The Superintendent of Public Works and the Clerk were also present. .Mr. J. H. Grey of the Edison Electric Ill. Co., Mr. E. H. Mara, Mr. Edward L. Fenn, and Mr. W. R. S. Eaton of the Board of Trade came before the Board to discuss the report of the Edison Electric Ill. Co. on the lighting of Mass. Avenue from Meriam Street to Woburn Street. This report was made upon the request of the Lexington Board of Trade, and is as follows: STREET LIGHTING RECOMPMNDATIONS LEXINGTON - MASSACHUSETTS FDA MASSACHUSETTS AVENUE This report, presented at the request of the Lexington Board of ' Trade, provided for a modern street lighting system in the area con- sidered. Lexington, with a population of 8000, largely a residental and agricultural town, situated on the main highway to northern New York, places its business district in a position where it is capable of great development. This district is also a shopping center for a large part of the surrounding country. With these two classes of customers, both of which do a great deal of their shopping after dark, the need for an adequate street lighting system is obvious. Such a system also tends to decrease accidents, reduce crime, and has a potential advertising value. Throughout the country, communities, particularly those which are on main arteries of travel, are coming to a realization that modern street lighting in certain localities is exceedingly advantag6ous. New England towns have been a bit backward in this development but at the present time there are a number which have installed a modern lighting system, and many are planning one in the near future. Leo- minster has a system of fifty-four 1,500 candle-power lamps. Clinton has recently installed fifty-five 600 candle-pgwer lamps. Old Orchard , Biddeford, and Saco, Maine, have used 600 and 1,500 candle-power lamps for several years. Danvers is planning an installation of 1,500 cjmdle- power lamps. ' PRESENT SYSTEM: When the present system was installed, the lights were very well placed as regards spacing, type of pole, and unit used, but it does not meet the demands of the present day. The lamps which are now in use give a degree of illumination which is inadequate, and present poles are not satisfactory for a larger type of unit, nor are they of sufficient height. 356 A table of street lighting intensities compiled by a group of engineers and architects at Washington, D. D., and accepted as a standard � for cities and towns throughout the country, recommends that the light- ing for streets of the type under consideration should be between 125 and , 200 lumens per linear foot. At the present time the lighting of this street being considered gives only 16 lumens per linear foot. RECOMMENDED SYSTEM: The present locations of the poles, shown on the accompanying plan, are well adapted to a system utilizing a larger size lamp than that now in use. The distribution will be satisfactory,•and with a 1,000 candle- power lamp the illumination will be brought up to the accepted standard. Such a lamp will give 130 lumens per linear foot of street, as compared with the recommended range of 125 to 200. Three additional poles are also recommended in Depot Square. The Edison Company installs and maintains the standard equipment which it uses for this type of lighting. This consists of a General Electric Form 4 Novalux unit mounted on a #5050 Lundin pole. (A out of this combination is appended). The pole has a wooden shaft with iron head and base. In the event you desire to install special poles and equipment, such installation would be at the expense of the Town and maintained by it. COST: While during the year of 1925, the Town of Lexington paid $16,127 ' for street lighting during the same period the Edison Company paid to the Town $12 511 in taxes, leaving the net cost to the Town for lighting its streets 13,616, equivalent to less than 1$ on the total amount eeaned by taxes for the year. Tha installation of the system recommended here will increase this to only 1.5%, The American Society for Municipal Improvements published a list a few years ago, giving recommended annual costs for street lighting per fdot of street. For business streets they gave $1.00 as a minimum and $4.00 as the maximum. The section under consideration here is approxi- mately 1280 ft. long. At present the street lighting is costing 74je a foot while with the lighting increased eight times, the running cost rises only a little over three times to $2.59, 01AARY• Cost .of 35 —1000 c.p. its. $3,027.50 Cost of 3.- 250 c.p. its. and 32 - 125 1! " 985.50 Increase in cost due to 1000 c.p. Its. $20042.80 - Three additional 1000 c.p. Its in , Depot square 259.50 .TOTAL ADDED COST. $2,301.60 Street lighting cost 1925 Added cost (1000 c.-.) 16,127.78 2,301.50 - 1 n n 357 Total cost $180429.28 Taxes paid 12.511.07 NET.COST STREET LIGHTING $5,918.21 BENEFITS: We will now consider the benefits which may be expected from the new system, The first consideration is that of accident provention. Secretary Hoover, in the report of the First National Conference on Street and Highway Safety, says, "Streets should be sufficiently illuminated so that bright headlights will be unnecessary and so that traffic signs will be clearly visable." Massachusetts Avenue being an important thoroughfare and a main artery should have full consideration in the treatment of this important service, it being a well known fact that 18% of accidents at night are attributable to lank of adequaterstreet illumination. There are other factors which are directly affected by an adequable street lighting system, such as tending to decrease crime, better fire protection, increase in property values, lower insurance rates, advertising value, a greater use of the streets by reason of being made more attractive, and, last but not least, Safer. Respectfully submitted.. J. Daniels Illuminating Engineering Division, Sales Department. Mr. E. H. Mara and Mr. Edward L. Fenn explained to the Board that the business men of the town felt that they were not getting what they should in the matter of street lighting. They felt that if the people entering the town found that it was well lighted, they would believe it to be a progressive town, and in that way, more persons would come to live in the town, and a greatet amount of trade would be received. They felt thAt the return on the amount of taxes that would be collected for the increased value in the property on account of these lights, would repay the town for the amount of money spent for their maintenance. Mr. Grey explained that the Edison Electric Ill, Co. would make the entire change of the new type of lights with no.expense to the town. Their idea in making this offer is that at the present time the main- tenance cost of the old poles is such that they can afford to make the offer of the installation of the new type of lamps with 1,000 candle power. Report was received from the Superintendent of Public Works in forming the Board that the increased cost to the town for the installatim -of the new type of lights would be $1920.94, or $160.08 per month. The pld lights cost $40.48 each for the 250 candle power, and $26.99 each for the 125 candle power, while the new lights will cost $86.40 each per year. He also informed the Board that if it was voted to make this change this year that the lighting maintenance account would allow for the change, but that next year the account would have to be increased $2,700. Mr. Ballard recommended that the matter be brought to the town for a.vote owing to the fact that an additional amount of $2,700 each year 358 would have to be asked for. In this connection, however, the Board felt that the three lights two already ordered in Depot Square should be placed there, and requested Xt.;Grey to have the three lights installed of the type and omdle- power they proposed to place upon Mass. Avenue, then if later on the ' other type of lights were installed on the avenue, theseithree lights would be uniform, They would also serve as an example to the people of the town when requested to vote for the installation. Attention of the Superintendent of Public Works was dalled to the fact that the "Do not Enter" sign was not in place at Depots Square, and that persons were driving in this drive, which is quite dangerous. The Superintendent of Public Works was requ4sted to have the sign put in place. The work of the Health Inspector, Russell I. Prentiss, was discussed and it was decided to request Mr. Miles to interview Mr. Prentiss to find out what arrangements he can make in regard to pay for the Health Inspectiom-wcrk. The Board decided to instruct the Superintendent of Public forks to reseal the construction on Mass. Avenue in East Lexington which was finished last year except the seal cont, the cost to be about $1500 and to be taken from the highway construction account. The Superintendent of Public Works reported that the construction of Waltham Street from Concord Avenue to .the Waltham Line was finished, and opened for use on Labor Day. The total cost of the job will be approximately $16,900, and the town will have returned $10,000 of that amount, $5,.000 each from the State and County. . I The Board advised the Superintendent of Public Works that whateveber work was done on the patching of roads, should be paid from the highway maintenance account. He reported that the patching of the street in front of the High School would cost about $6,000. In connection with this construction, the Board requested the Superintendent to secure figures for granite curbing to be placed between the sidewalk and road construction. The Engineer was requested to get a more detailed plan of this street construction before the nest meeting of the Board. The question of asking the School Building Committee to spend some of their account for grading the High School property on the grass plot which is proposed to be located between the granite curbing aiWd the street, arose. It was finally decided to request the members of the committee to come.bef ore the Board on Tuesday evening next at 8:30 P.M. to discuss the matter. Letter was received from the Town Accountant in which he info mod the Board that there was a shortage in the accounts of Soldiers Relief, Military Aid, and Insurance. He stated that thez.pay roll for Soldiers Relief could not be paid this month until money was received. The Board, therefor, decided to notify the Appropriation Committee that money was ,needed immediately for both Military Aid and Soldiers Relief accounts. ' The Superintendent of Public Works presented a plan of a three car garage to be built by Walter Kew on Curve Street. It was decided to turn .this matter over to the Byilding Inspector. A letter was received from Frederick L. Emery in which he enclosed a letter from Metcalf & Eddy, engineers on the scheme of the layout, widening, and deepening of Vine Brook: Mr..Emery's letter referred to the"Shurtleff Plan, so-called. The Board decided to request Mr. Emery ' to present the Shurtleff Plan so that they could go over the same befo 3e they discussed the matter any further. The meeting was adjourned at 11:00 P,M. A true record, Attest ; J co Clerk, 0 1 1