Consideration of future design & use of solar-powered light fixtures at palm park and on the MTA Bike trail
March 13, 2023
1 Background
Since 2021, City facilities have experienced extensive copper wire theft, particularly lighting fixture wiring MTA Bike Trail lights repairs have exceeded $100,000
Palm Park light repairs are approx. $15,000
Caruthers snack shack and ballfields have experienced wire theft that has caused more than $10,000 in repairs
2 Repairs and in-house solutions
Public Works has used staff and outside contractors to make the necessary repairs at facilities.
Staff has also utilized unconventional ideas to remedy thefts including:
Tack/Spot welding access plates on light poles & pull boxes Metal banding of decorative collars for light poles
Use of tamper-proof screws
Strategic placement of heavy boulders on top of pull boxes at ground level
3 Solar-powered lighting solutions
In recent years, the exterior lighting industry has made significant strides in the develop and design solar-powered exterior lighting fixtures The largest benefit of solar-powered lights is that there is no need for an electrical power source, resulting in a lower operating costs and they are no longer targeted by wire thieves.
However, solar-powered light fixtures are costly and are limited in the design styles
4 Solar-powered lighting solutions
The City worked with Willdan Engineering and South Coast Lighting and Design to assess the lights on the MTA Bike Trail and Palm Park to provide an option of converting the existing light fixtures to solar-power as well or switch to a comparable solar-powered light fixture.
The goal of the assessment was to focus on the actual light fixture and re-use the existing vertical pole in an effort to reduce costs.
5 Palm Park
There are two separate lighting fixtures currently at Palm Park:
35 Shepard’s Hook fixtures for the walking path
12 box lights for the parking lot
Retrofit of Shepard’s Hook light fixtures
Existing pole estimated at $5,525/fixture - $193,375 total New pole estimated at $4,200/fixture - $147,000 total
New light fixture, similar Shepard’s Hook style
$2,750/fixture - $96,250 total
Park Lot Box Lights
Cannot be retrofitted
Recommended to replace existing fixtures with all-in-one light fixture with solar panel built in $3,170/fixture - $38,040
6 Retrofit Fixture vs New Fixture
RETROFIT
NEW
7 New Shepard’s Hook Light Fixture
8 New parking lot light solar fixture
9 Mta Bike Trail
The Bike Trail only has one light fixture style – Shepard’s Hook 140 Shepard’s Hook fixtures on the Bike Trail
Retrofit of Shepard’s Hook light fixtures
Existing pole estimated at $5,525/fixture - $773,500 total New pole estimated at $4,200/fixture - $588,000 total
New light fixture, similar Shepard’s Hook style
$2,750/fixture - $385,000 total
10 Retrofit Fixture vs New Fixture
RETROFIT
NEW
11 Discussion and Consideration
Palm Park estimated cost between $134,300 - $231,450
Low end would include new Shepard’s Hook light fixture and new parking lot light fixture High end would include retrofit of existing Shepard’s Hook light fixture and new parking lot light fixture MTA Bike Trail estimated cost between $385,000 - $773,500 Low end would include new Shepard’s Hook light fixture
High end would include retrofit of existing Shepard’s Hook light fixture
12 Consideration of future design & use of solar-powered light fixtures at palm park and on the MTA Bike trail
March 13, 2023
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