New Lights for Main Street

Work Crews Installing New Light Near City Complex

Lamar residents are now noticing some changes along Main Street; new light poles placed along the sidewalks instead of the center median. The new LED lights will cut back on electrical costs while the old ones, situated along the center median, are to be stored at the Lamar Light Plant.  Light Plant Superintendent, Houssin Hourieh, told the Lamar Utilities Board several months ago, the old lights will be stored as replacements for the ones that will not be changed out, north of the Lamar Canal.

Old Light on Median

American Civil Constructors, the firm handling the road improvements, had two representatives attend the monthly Lamar Merchant’s Meeting on Tuesday, March 14^th, and stated that some of the medians will begin to be removed within two to three weeks.  Work crews have been cutting into the sidewalks, allowing the concrete to be removed in the places where the new lights will be installed.  New electrical hook-ups and the braces for the new poles are being laid out.

New LED Lights Will Be Mounted on Sidewalk

The bulk of the work is advancing from south to north, concentrated along the stretch of road between the City Complex to Olive Street on the east side of the highway. Traffic in this area is being diverted to one lane only, north and south along the medians.  When they are removed, barriers will be in place directing traffic to the outer lanes next to the sidewalks.  ACC said there will always be access to the stores along Main Street from the sidewalks, but residents are learning to adjust to having to find alternative parking sites, with some businesses setting up signage directing their customers to new parking locations on side streets.

By Russ Baldwin