City in the dark on which streetlights will be shut off

Though the conceptual plan to shut off a few streetlights in north Brainerd has been approved, it is not yet known which streetlights will go dark.

The plan, part of a six-month pilot project proposed Monday to the Brainerd City Council by Brainerd Public Utilities Superintendent Tom Phelps, would involve removing the bulbs in about 27 of north Brainerd's approximate 290 streetlights as a means to save money. Shutting off the 27 lights would save an estimated $3,400 a year, Phelps said.

The council also approved shutting off alley lights in north Brainerd, which are solely paid for by the city, as part of the pilot project. Lights will not be turned off near schools; churches; the senior center; and along Kingwood Street, North Fourth Street, North Eighth Street and Bluff Avenue.

Phelps will meet with Brainerd Police Department officials to determine which streetlights will be removed and take a plan to the council's Nov. 2 meeting for consideration.

Phelps said Tuesday he would look at removing streetlights from intersections that have two or more lights and removing lights in the middle of blocks that also have lights at block ends.

Phelps said the idea is not to leave whole blocks dark.

"We'll play around with it, look at it and see how it works," he said. "This shouldn't have too much of an impact."

Brainerd Police Chief John Bolduc said he's seen studies that show streetlights are a deterrent to crime and studies that show streetlights have no effect on crime.

He said it's not an issue that the Brainerd Police Department has studied, so the department is taking a wait-and-see approach to shutting off streetlights.

"As long as there's not a total blackout in certain areas, which I understand will not be the case here, it's probably not going to be a problem," Bolduc said. "If we're talking about mid blocks and in a few areas, my expectation is that it will have no effect."

The pilot project was one of several energy-saving ideas Phelps has considered as a means to save the city money wherever it can. On Monday he said changing the wattage in streetlights installed with the South Eighth Street and North Ninth Street projects will save the city about $465 a year and Brainerd Public Utilities will continue seeking stimulus money to improve energy efficiency for all city buildings.

MATT ERICKSON may be reached at matt.erickson@brainerddispatch.com or 855-5857.