Maple Valley ‘going green’ with new LED streetlights

The cost of lights and poles is estimated at about $425,000 combined

By Rebecca Gourley • January 14, 2015 6:32 pm
The city of Maple Valley plans to upgrade 11 streetlights on Witte Road SE between Southeast 240th Street and state Route 169 to LED bulbs.
The city of Maple Valley plans to upgrade 11 streetlights on Witte Road SE between Southeast 240th Street and state Route 169 to LED bulbs.

Maple Valley is planning on “going green” with new LED streetlights on Witte Road and 216th Avenue Southeast.

The cost of lights and poles is estimated at about $425,000 combined.

The rest of the installations, which includes foundations and conduits, went out to bid this week, according to Steve Clark, Public Works and Community Development director. The city won’t have an estimation on that part of the project until after bids have been received.

The project on Witte Road between state Route 169 and Southeast 240th Street will include installation of 11 new streetlights and poles. The 216th Avenue project will feature 36 new lights.

This is the first public project for Maple Valley that upgrades streetlights to LED, Clark said.

At Monday night’s City Council meeting, Mayor Bill Alison and the council members agreed not to take action on the resolution to approve the light order from Intolight/Puget Sound Energy. Instead, they plan to add it to next meeting’s consent calendar. The two orders are expected to be approved at the beginning of the Jan. 26 meeting.

Clark said the new lights will be “whiter” than the current lights, but will not have a blue tint like some LEDs. He also said they will be installing shields to prevent the light from going into people’s homes.