2017-089 Lighting on 380Date: December 15, 2017 Report No. 2017-089
INFORMAL STAFF REPORT
TO MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL
SUBJECT:
Street Lighting along US Highway 380
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
Engineering Services has conducted a high level cost analysis for the addition of LED street
lighting along US Highway 380 in order to improve driver and pedestrian safety.
BACKGROUND:
In recent months, both council and various citizens have expressed concern regarding the lack of
street lighting along US Highway 380 and how this negatively impacts the safety of both drivers
and pedestrians. At the request of the Assistant City Manager, Engineering Services conducted
an analysis to determine the cost to install street lights along the corridor. While conducting the
analysis, the department reached out to various stakeholders, including TxDOT and Denton
Municipal Electric, to gather the information needed to estimate a high level cost.
US Highway 380 is a primary arterial road that runs east to west through the city. The corridor
consists of an urbanized section from I-35 to Loop 288 that has both commercial and residential
areas. The corridor also has less urban sections from Loop 288 to the eastern city limit and from
I-35 to the western city limit. The urbanized section from I-35 to Loop 288 has a larger need for
the addition of street lighting than the less urban sections because of the larger amount of traffic
flow.
Within the urbanized section from I-35 to Loop 288, there are 5 segments that are of highest
priority for the addition of street lights due to their location. The first segment is from I-35 to
Bonnie Brae because this is where the Razor Ranch shopping center is located. This area has a
very high volume of traffic flow and very little lighting. The second segment is from Bonnie
Brae to Ector. This area is also largely commercial with a high volume of traffic flow and
currently has no lighting. The third segment is from North Elm to Ruddell St. This section of US
380 is located directly in front of Texas Women’s University, has a large volume of pedestrian
activity and traffic flow, and does not have street lights currently. The fourth section, from
Ruddell to Nottingham, runs through a residential area. The fifth segment, from Nottingham to
288, is a mixture of residential and commercial areas and has very few lights. There are two
segments within I-35 to Loop 288 segment (Ector to Malone and Malone to N Elm) that
currently have some streetlights throughout but will need an evaluation to ensure they are
adequate.
Although the less urbanized sections from Loop 288 eastward and I-35 westward are a lower
priority due to less traffic flow, the need for lighting will increase as population growth moves
into those areas and they become more urbanized. Because of this, they are included in the cost
analysis below as part of option 2.
Date: December 15, 2017 Report No. 2017-089
DISCUSSION:
The City currently uses high pressure sodium (HPS) fixtures for its street lights. However, many
cities are moving toward light-emitting diode (LED) fixtures due to lower maintenance and
electricity costs. The lighting market is moving toward LED fixtures as well and HPS fixtures
are becoming harder to find and purchase. Because of this, the following analysis is based on the
cost to install LED fixtures along the corridor.
The City of Fort Worth is currently conducting a pilot program for LED street lights on various
roads throughout their City. Engineering Services met with the Fort Worth traffic engineers in
order to obtain their pilot program data on LED material and maintenance costs. Lancaster Road,
a Fort Worth corridor similar to US380, was used as an example to determine preliminary pole
placement and spacing in the following analysis. The various costs presented below are based on
200 ft. pole spacing, light poles located on both sides of the road, and the LED material and
maintenance costs collected from the City of Ft. Worth.
COST ANALYSIS:
The following high level cost analysis provides a range of costs for the addition of LED street
lights along US380. The options include the cost to light up the entire urbanized portion from I-
35 to Loop 288 and the cost to add lighting to the entire US 380 corridor from City limit to City
limit (both the urbanized and less urbanized sections).
Options (In Order of Priority)
1. Cost to install LED lighting from I-35 to Loop 288 (4.97 miles in length)
a. Material/Install: $2,019,107
b. Electricity/Maintenance: $59,170.08/year
2. Cost to install LED lighting from City limit to City limit (12.83 miles long)
a. Material/Install: $5,635,137
b. Electricity/Maintenance: $154,248.72/year
CONCLUSION:
Engineering Services is seeking direction from Council on continuing to explore the addition of
lighting to the US 380 corridor. The recommended first step is to engage a consultant to conduct
a feasibility and photometric study, which will determine the current lighting levels on the
corridor. The study would provide options on the layout of the light fixtures based on current
conditions and determine more refined project cost estimates. If the City Council concurs in
moving the project forward then the staff would begin negotiating with a consultant on a price
(estimated at $75,000) and timing to conduct the study. The consultant could get started on the
project in late February-early March 2018. The results of the study would then be brought
forward for the Cit y Council discussion and review in June 2018.
Date: December 15, 2017 Report No. 2017-089
ATTACHMENT(S):
1. Supplemental Cost Analysis
STAFF CONTACT:
Kathryn Welch, Engineering Services
940-349-8989
Kathryn.Welch@cityofdenton.com
Cost to Install LED Lighting on US HW 380
(200 ft. spacing; Lights on Both Sides of Road)
The following analysis shows US HW 380 divided into 14 segments from city limit to city limit and the
associated cost to add LED lights to each segment. The purpose of breaking the corridor into segments is
to show how much it costs to light up US Highway 380 in small sections in order to help identify the
City’s priority areas.
Segment Map from I35 to Loop 288:
-Total Cost to install lights between I35 to Bonnie Brae = $2,019,107; Elect/Maint = $59,170.08/year
I35 to Bonnie Brae:
Install: $299,100
Elect/Maint: $9,033.60/year
Bonnie Brae to Ector:
Install: $142,073
Elect/Maint: $4,290.96/year
Median: $
= Staff Recommended Priority Areas
Ector to Malone:
Install: $119,640
Elect/Maint: $3,613.44/year
Median: $
Malone to N Elm:
Install: $381,353
Elect/Maint: $11,517.84/year
Median: $
N Elm to Ruddell:
Install: $343,965
Elect/Maint: $10,388.64/year
Median: $
Ruddell to Nottingham:
Install: $261,713
Elect/Maint: $7,904.40/year
Median: $
Nottingham to 288:
Install: $471,263
Elect/Maint: $12,421.20/year
Median: $
Segment Map from Loop 288 to East City Limit (Rockhill Rd.):
288 to Geesling Rd:
Install: $396,308
Elect/Maint: $11,969.52/year
Median: $
Geesling to N Trinity:
Install: $441,173
Elect/Maint: $13,324.56/year
Median: $
N Trinity to Riverside:
Install: $149,550
Elect/Maint: $4,516.80/year
Median: $
Riverside to Rockhill:
Install: $764,858
Elect/Maint: $16,486.32/year
Median: $
Segment Map from I35 to West City Limit (Nail Road):
35 to Masch Branch:
Install: $538,380
Elect/Maint: $16,260.48/year
Median: $
Masch Branch to Parker House:
Install: $456,128
Elect/Maint: $13,776.24/year
Median: $
Parker House to Nail Rd:
Install: $869,633
Elect/Maint: $18,744.72/year
Median: $
Material/Installation Cost
The following table shows the cost breakdown for material and installation of one pole and
light fixture. The City of Denton uses a standard pole for the majority of its streetlights. These
poles can be placed along the segments of US 380 that have a curb. Based on TxDOT
requirements, segments of the corridor without a curb must use a breakaway pole (if hit, the
pole breaks so as not to cause serious injury to people in the car). These breakaway poles cost
more than the City’s standard poles.
*Contingency: Design, ROW/Acquisition, etc.
Electricity/Maintenance Costs
The following is the cost breakdown for maintenance and electricity supply per pole per month.
The maintenance cost is based on the data provided from City of Ft. Worth’s pilot LED program.
The electricity cost is based on the assumption that each light pole is using electricity 12 hours
per day.
*Data provided from Fort Worth
**Electricity Rate Used: 3.92 cents/kwh
LED Standard Pole (curbed areas)
Total = $7,477.50
Standard Pole: $900
Light Fixture: $270
Other Misc. Mat.: $275
Installation: $3,540
Contingency: $2,492.50
LED Non-Standard Pole (non-curbed areas)
Total = $10,477.50
Non-Standard Pole: $1,280
Light Fixture: $270
Other Misc. Mat.: $395
Installation: $5,040
Contingency: $3,492.50
LED Lights: Electricity/Maintenance Costs
Maintenance $16.67/pole/month*
Electricity $2.15/pole/month**
Total $18.82/pole/month