In a rare display of support for the city’s controversial anti-street-light-solar program to combat gridlock — and to win the state’s coveted $6.8 million Solar Energy Project Qualification grant — Mayor Marty Walsh said on Thursday morning his administration is prepared to “cut loose” a handful of streetlights that haven’t been lit because of the $1.2 million program.
Walsh said he wants to “get rid of” 11,000 meters (the largest of nearly 5,000 streetlights in Boston) after learning from city staff that some still aren’t functioning. If left on, they could disrupt transit service and other drivers’ morning and evening commutes.
“There were streets lights that have been out since the morning of the third of February,” the mayor said, “and it’s just simply not right to do this to people’s neighborhoods.”
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Councilor Bill Linehan called off a vote on the grant on Thursday morning, at the last minute. Linehan had scheduled a vote of 6 to 5, on which linehan was expected to vote, at least, in favor of the grant.
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But Linehan did not return a message seeking reaction about his vote Thursday morning.
“All I know is they can’t get the street lights back on. And I don’t quite want the street lights off,” Linehan said the day after the city’s request was accepted. “So there will be some of my voting on it.”
The streetlights that aren’t working are being shut down at a cost of $300,000. Walsh has said that removing the lights will save the city $2 million in electricity costs.
The mayor’s move to scrap the streetlights comes at a time when his administration and city officials have been criticized for a spate of public safety issues related to the gridlock on city avenues and public thoroughfares. City officials — including the MassDOT, the Boston Police Department, and the Department of Public Works — have warned that the lights have not been tested or repaired to make sure they work properly.
The lights are installed when roads and streets are wet to keep traffic flowing. However, Walsh’s office said Thursday that because of the weather, the weather has moved to a drier season in
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