Oct
5
Streetscape Progress Update
Posted by Cherokee St. News on October 5, 2010 | 18 Comments
Thunder Electric employees are in the process of wiring up the bases on the new cast iron light posts to prepare them for lighting elements which should arrive next week. The lights on the North side of the street are planned to be installed first and could be operational as early as Oct 13. Since this is the first deployment of energy-efficient LED lighting in St. Louis, Cherokee Street will be a beta test for the city to determine whether the new LED fixtures are ready for widespread adoption at some or all of the 52,000 light fixtures the city maintains. Once installed, city engineers will be looking at the levels of light output, the color of the LED lighting, ability to withstand extreme temperatures, and the long term maintenance of the fixtures. One aspect of the new lighting that is well known is the electrical usage. According to Jeff from Thunder Electric, all of the new pedestrian lighting on the north side of the street from Nebraska to Jefferson will require only 15 amps, which is very minimal power consumption and a considerable reduction over traditional High Pressure Sodium and Metal Halide lamps currently in use.
In addition to the new lighting, iron tree grates have been installed and are ready for the new trees. The old brick pavers between the sidewalk and the curb are in the process of being removed and replaced with exposed aggregate concrete to match the existing sidewalks and create the effect of a wider pedestrian area. Unfortunately it looks as though the contractor that installed the tree grates, and handicap ramps didn’t get the message on the exposed aggregate. Overall, despite being about a month behind schedule, the project is moving forward, looking good and is expected to be complete this month.
It’s great to see improvements like this being made! I think it’s outstanding that we are able to be so forward-thinking with the implementation of the LED lighting. It both reduces energy usage and shows that we are actively pursuing more sustainable consumption patterns.
I’m guessing the “beta test” will go very well and we start seeing the LED’s city-wide in the near future.
when will the new trees be here?
-when you puppets start speaking for yourself. don’t let others put words in your mouth. give us some answers not just more questions!
don’t be so hard on sockpuppet. he just misses the trees! maybe you light bulbs should coordinate into grow lights and speed up the tree replacement process!
lightbulb head is a puppet too-I’m sure of it! put a lightbulb in a toilet paper tube and papier mache’-we all just mumbling puppets. cut down all the trees and make more-like they did with all those bot soldiers created in starwars…then we’d have something…and if they could vote…
the lights look nice-lets have our own rally for sanity on oct 30 among our new lights
PLEASE rethink/reconsider putting in new trees. Right now Cherokee is well-lighted and much, much safer than it has been in decades. Putting in trees blocks/blots out the lighting and makes the streets more dangerous to walk at night–especially considering there are many dead zones where there are no shops open at night and little lighting.
I realize everyone thinks trees are necessary for making the streets “aesthetically” pleasing, but let’s be creative, Cherokee, and safe. There are many alterantives to scrawny little trees. Planters, for instance.
If we must have trees, then please get real trees that will grow above the lights.
puppets and imposters… tree bulbs and crime heads…. whoa. either i been hitting the pipe too hard or someone’s using my name. to make a totally innocuous comment. a rally for sanity? that would exclude almost everyone the real larva lou knows. i hereby call for war on sidewalks, they only cause more crime.
Don’t be an ass. Nobody said trees cause crime, but trees blotting out lighting are certainly conducive to muggings. Walk the length of Cherokee after dark like I do and see what I mean, if you have the guts. This is not a war on trees. It is a common sense safety issue. How boring, I know.
it’s war on sidewalks-not trees-yes,yes—pavement sucks-4×4′s rule!!!! The trees can stay I say I say! turn the parking meters upside down-throw mud in the streets-sell rubber boots at BBB -let the run off soak in and stuff scarecrows with parking tickets.
I guess the nice mosaic trash can holders were causing crime too.
Down with trees and art and Globe!
Up with vacant lots unable to be turned into community plazas!
wait,we need to get real(just ask larva lou)-someone with tites needs to step up and make us feel safe-i don’t like shoes-force musicians to play on the sidewalks-bikes are great to watch rol-and change the name to —maybe Wildwood Blvd-yes-we need chickory in all the cracks-darn another hole-wet down the streets every hour for that movie set look-i’m coming unraveled-bus beggers to the Loop-i want my mate
Is everyone on here 5 years old?
oh-wouldn’t it be a neat world if we would let 5 year olds have a say-playground equipment on all the empty lots-soft rubber sidewalks-bins w/chalk and finger paints on every corner-raspberry oat bars cut in star and moon shapes-burritos filled w/good n plenty and black jelly beans -oh, and puppy dogs running free
what’s this about Five Year Olds? I’m with Bob on this(well-not WITH him-he thinks I’m a darn fool)-5 year olds rate-they count-you older folks suck binky and crap ‘ur diapers. Look -you neglected Cherokee st. so long and now ran the country into the ground—go to your rooms. Oh, and where are them trees-I’m learn’n chain saw carving-let me at ‘em
The trees have arrived! Commentators commence commenting…
i love trees!!!!!!!!!
yes the trees are so good to see-I just hope they don’t get big and DANGEROUS