Residents Critical of Mayor's Idea to Light Up Arrigoni Bridge

As Middletown Mayor Dan Drew is looking into a nearly two-decades-old concept of installing lights along the Arrigoni Bridge, residents tell Middletown Patch money should be spent elsewhere first. 

Mayor Dan Drew told The Hartford Courant he has been working with an engineering firm to get an estimate on what the cost would be to install lights on landmark bridge connecting Middletown and Portland. The initial investment could cost as much as $750,000, The Courant reported. 

A question posed on Facebook elicited many responses from folks interested in the issue. Responses from Middletown residents ranged from  concerns about the aquatic life in the river, its cost which they say is better spent on schools, and environmental impact on the region.

Seventeen years ago when Connecticut Light & Power raised the idea, installation costs were estimated at $500,000 to $1 million, according to a 1996 Courant story. 

Drew told the Middletown Press that lights could be customized for holidays: “'For the Fourth of July … you could color the bridge’s lights red, white and blue,' with options like green and red for Christmas and orange and black for Halloween."

In June 1996, according to a Hartford Courant article, Connecticut Light & Power Co. gave a $54,000 grant to the Lighting Research Center in 1995  to study options for using advanced lighting technology on the bridge.

In 2011 when Sebastian Giuliano was Middletown's mayor, State Rep. Matthew Lesser, D-100th, introduced the bill at the request of the City of Middletown. Portland First Selectwoman Susan Bransfield testified in support of the legislation, but nobody from the City of Middletown did and the bill died in committee, he tells Middletown Patch.

In a February 2011 Chamber Column, Middlesex County Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Larry McHugh was all for the lighting.

"The installation of these lights is a great economic development project that will make the bridge a signature site for motorists and residents along the Connecticut River," he wrote, adding "the lights on the bridge will be energy-efficient and put the state and county on the leading edge of green technology. The Arrigoni can be the first bridge in the nation to use grid-tied solar energy to power its LED lights."

Middletown residents react to the question if lighting the Portland Bridge is a good idea on Facebook.

• Lindsay: No no no no no no no no and no.
• Claudia: It's beautiful- BUT- we must clean up Main Street first and get rid of the parking meter- customer robbing mentality. If Main Street is going to be featured in the Boston Globe- we have to give people something to see year round! Cleanliness is a good start.
• Thomas: There are much better was to spend taxpayers dollars! 
• Carolyn: Here is a novel idea. How about replacing the street lights throughout Middletown that are broken and not working before we explore creating ambiance?
• Joseph: How about reinstating teacher positions that were cut in our public school? We also just had a real threat of deep cuts to MHS athletics. These are higher priorities than lights. While I do appreciate that a more beautiful bridge could serve as a great landmark, wouldn't it be better to have the best schools in order to attract tax-paying businesses and residents?
• Lori: I would rather my son's 5th grade has a third teacher so there aren't 28 kids in a class. That's how I would prefer my money be spent.
• Joseph: Also, if the project goes forward, I hope that the environmental impact is minimal - dark skies at night are good for people and wildlife. As well, hope its done tastefully, with perhaps LED or new technology inc solar.
• Carolyn: And why would only Middletown fund this and not Middletown and Portland collaboratively?
• Joseph: It was reported that there will be discussions with Portland.
• Terry: How about taking out the traffic lights on route 9?
• Lori: Rte 9 is a state funded project and it involves eminent domain.
• Jon: Education needs it all the way- a no brainer.
• Dan: I think lighting the bridge is a great idea! Why hasn't been done before?
• Pam: It WAS discussed before ..in 2002 extensively. this is like deja`vu for those of us who have lived here for a substantial amount of time...environmentalist groups and average citizens alike were in the end against it for both costs (over $750,000 more than 10 years ago) and the negative effect on the river's habitat... here's an example of some of those published in 2002 on Light Pollution Awareness Website... ALERT!! 10-27-2002 Middletown and Portland, CT Needs Your Help Significant negative damages will occur to the night sky and surrounding habitat areas if this bridge gets decorative lighting installed. The lighting design involves an initial cost of over $763,000 to install 172 unshielded necklace lights that have no targets to illuminate (except the sky and water below) and 160 upward shining floodlights that will only hit 5% of their intended targets! The annual electricity cost to illuminate this folly will be over $19,500! 
• Note the reflections in the water below and beyond this bridge. This illumination reflects up into the sky and also increases predation for all animals living along the waters' edge on both sides of the river and in the water itself! 
• Dan: So, the idea was tabled in 2002 and the conclusion was "negative impact" on environment.... But, am I right in presuming that nothing has changed regarding this? No new environmentally friendly technology? Is there any new information that could sway the average citizen's opinion? 
  
• Pam: I think that's going to be the point of the public hearing...to "enlighten" us....no pun intended...lol Although at a $1,000,000 price tag in this economy with the administration telling us the budget with the cuts they made was the BEST they could do...ummmm except for this extra million for bridge lights...isn't going to sway too many either....  Great concept! Bad timing...
• Kurt: Sure, it would be nice. A lot of things would be nice to have if we had unlimited money to spend in the city budget but we don't. When it comes to the City government spending money, unless it educates a child, gives us better Police and Fire protection or keeps the roads usable, I am against it if it adds one more dime to our already outrageous property tax. 
• Stephanie: WASTE of our money... there are more things in need of attention then lights on a stupid bridge...
• Dan: Bridges aren't stupid.... They really aren't anything except conveniences. Keeps us living in Middletown from having to paddle over to Portland. But what about the beauty that the lights might bring.... Just wondering what you all think?
• Dan: You know, I've only lived in Middletown since 1997. I love it here. I'm always bragging about our beautiful downtown. That's how I see it. Maybe I'm wrong but I think investing in the bridge would be one way to increase the "attractor factor" of our town. That would mean more visitors who ultimately will spend more money and encourage more businesses that will ultimately pay more taxes so that we can then add something else to the attractor factor .... and go back to the beginning of this already too long sentence... That would mean... etc. Thank you.
• Jennifer: I think that would be nice.
• Kris: Before more money is spent on cosmetic fixes, let's address the things that need serious work first in this town. Get the waterfront "developed", and then get the bridge lit nicely with any extra money...

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