Voters Will be Asked to OK $16.3M For Street Lights, Road Repair

Voters heading to the polls in November will be asked their opinion on two referendum questions that could appropriate $16.3 million for Middletown road repairs and street lights.

The common council approved  the mayor's plan to send a $1.15 million street light expenditure to the voters at its monthly meeting Tuesday in city hall. The council also approved the city's request to borrow $15.2 million for road and sidewalk repaving and replacement, an extensive plan which is expected to take 20 years to complete.

According to Mayor Dan Drew, taxpayers could see $3 million in savings over the next decade. About $200,000 could be saved by the city annually if voters approve the purchase of more than 5,000 street lights and 1,000 poles from Connecticut Light and Power.

That $1.15 million price point, Middletown Energy Coordinator John Hall said, is negotiable with CL&P. Last August, the utility company gave a quote of $1.078 million, but since then, Hall said, the city reports 4 percent of the lights were found to be out. "So we'll use that information to negotiate a final purchase price." He's hoping for a cost of less than $1 million.

The plan is to slowly switch the current street lights, which are mostly metal halide with some high-pressure sodium bulbs, to light-emitting diode ones, according to Hall. He also runs Middlesex Energy Management, which mainly represents the city of Middletown.

According to documents provided by Public Works Director Bill Russo, 100 roads throughout Middletown will have work done over the next two decades, including paving, drainage, curb repair, utility relocation and repair, pipe inspections and guardrails. Administrative, legal, consulting and other costs are figured in at $200,000.

Several streets will have major overhauls while others require less work. Repairs to Boston Road are estimated to cost $1.9 million, Long Lane improvements, $784,000; Millbrook Road, $473,000; Oak Ridge Drive, $426,000; and Spencer Drive, $417,000.

Which roadways in Middletown do you think are most in need of repair? Tell us in the comments section below.