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ALTON - Alton Alderman Ray Strebel of the 3rd Ward will present a resolution which would authorize the execution of Ameren Illinois’ Energy Efficient Program Incentive Application and payment release authorization regarding decorative lighting on the Clark Bridge.
Also, a resolution authorizing the disbursement of American Rescue Plan Act funds for projects within the City of Alton will be part of the discussion Wednesday night at Council along with a resolution authorization the execution of an Intergovernmental Agreement between the City of Alton and Alton Township.
Alderman Strebel said when he was first elected, a close friend of his, Scott Dixon, another local resident, showed him a bridge in Memphis that had its lighting redone and he thought it was amazing. He also said with LED changes, the cost savings to the city would be enormous.
“It was a huge project, but I took the idea to Cory Jobe of the Great Rivers & Routes Tourism Bureau, and Cory and I seem to share the same vision of the City of Alton," Strebel said. "Alton is a bedroom community for the St. Louis area built on travel and tourism, and that is where we think [it] should go. We talked it over and went to the Public Works Department on a completely other matter, and Mike Parsons, the Public Works director, was talking about a different matter and he said the Clark Bridge is dark and shadowing and asked what he thought we could do.
“He inspected the lighting of the pylons and discovered we have 176 of them and one of them presently works. I encouraged him because I thought it was a public safety issue and I said let’s go forward and get estimates.”
Alton Mayor David Goins said this afternoon that he is in favor of the project and it has his whole support after the detailed work done on outside financing and the project benefits.
“I think it is a wonderful idea,” Mayor Goins said. “It is something I was approached about early when I became mayor, and I was approached about the condition of the lighting on the bridge and trying to figure out a way to do it and who is responsible for replacing lights that are out.”
Mayor Goins pointed out that the bridge in Memphis changes colors during the season - for example, on the Fourth Of July or Breast Cancer Awareness Month and more.
“We will also have to look at the maintenance of it, but I am definitely excited about the opportunity," Mayor Goins said.
Strebel has worked to find multiple ways of financing the bridge lights with Jobe and others and that will be discussed in more detail at Wednesday night’s Alton City Council meeting, click here.
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