VBT DDA to pay $46,462 for streetlights on pedestrian bridge

Twenty-two, 39-watt, LED street lights will light the way to and from the proposed pedestrian bridge over I-94 along Belleville Road.
At the Feb. 27 regular meeting of the Van Buren Township Downtown Development Authority, the DDA voted unanimously to pay $46,462 for the lights, as recommended by DTE.
The projected annual operating cost is $6,457 and DDA Executive Director Susan Ireland said, “We are going to save money.”
It was noted no lights will be on the bridge itself over the freeway since DTE has had vibration problems with lights in the past on walkways, causing excessive maintenance.
The black Wadsworth direct-bury poles will feature Acorn-style fixtures that will complement the existing Belleville Road street lights, she said.
Ireland said they considered installing the same street light that currently is in the commercial corridor on Belleville Road. Even though less light poles would be necessary, it would be more costly and it was felt that the pathway lighting would be better served if it had more of a residential feel instead of a large roadway light, she said.
Ireland told the DDA that she has been informed by the Michigan Department of Transportation that the letting date for the Belleville Road bridge widening and pathway installation project is March 2.
In other business at the 17-minute meeting the DDA:
• Voted to transfer $5,500 from fund balance to Printing and Publishing to pay for a half-page advertisement in the United Airlines “Hemispheres” March 2018 edition that will feature Michigan and why Michigan is a great place to invest or relocate. One of its features was removed because it included an interview with the recently resigned president of Michigan State University. This left a void in the publication, so VBT DDA got the $25,835 ad space for $5,500 because they had ready-to-go copy;
• Heard Ireland report that bid packets are being assembled for the Belleville Road Placemaking project. The architects are getting ready to submit engineering to Wayne County and ultimately to the planning commission for final site plan approval;
• Heard Ireland report that she has submitted the check to DTE to pay for the streetlight conversion to LED. She said the parts order is expected to take two to three months; and
• Learned Midwest Sculpture will be meeting with the Belleville DDA and the Van Buren DDA on March 14 at Belleville City Hall. DDA member Helen Foster has again agreed to participate in the selection of VBT’s new pieces.