Walker County has contracted with EPB to install over 100 new street lights on nearly 3.7 miles of heavily traveled roads in the northern part of the county.
Walker County Commissioner Shannon Whitfield and Sheriff Steve Wilson announced this week that 110 street lights were installed by EPB along Wilson Road and sections of Happy Valley Road, James Street and Glentana Street.
The cost of the lights will be about $1,000 per month, which includes installation and maintenance.
The locations for the lights were chosen based on crime and traffic data Wilson and his department reviewed.
Contributed by Walker County Government / EPB installs new street lights in Walker County."We have a lot of people who live in this area who may not have the means to drive, so walking to a store or somewhere else is their only means of transportation," Wilson said in a news release. "This will certainly enhance the safety of pedestrians and improve our crime stats, because the lights will illuminate the entire roadway."
The area is where many in Walker County not only live but travel for work and school.
The street lights are photo-cell activated, meaning they will turn on and off depending on how dark it is. The paving of Happy Valley Road from Battlefield Parkway to James Street in the coming months will provide an additional complement to the lights project.
EPB started installing the new street lights last week along Happy Valley Road. The goal is to have the majority of the lights put up by the end of July.
Contact Patrick Filbin at pfilbin@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6476. Follow him on Twitter @PatrickFilbin.