Casper, WY — At a Tuesday work session of the Casper City Council, consultants revealed that the city’s lighting system falls well short of national illumination standards. The study, funded by a $119,850 grant from the U.S. Department of Energy, outlines a comprehensive, long‑term plan to modernize streetlights, improve safety for residents and students, and dramatically reduce energy consumption.
Key findings and ownership split
The 11‑month assessment, conducted by Evari Consulting and lighting‑design firm Clanton & Associates, inventoried 5,545 streetlights on public right‑of‑way. City Engineer Alex Sveda explained that while the city pays to operate over 90% of those fixtures at an annual utility cost of roughly $729,000, it directly owns only about a quarter of them. Rocky Mountain Power owns roughly two‑thirds, with the remainder belonging to the Wyoming Department of Transportation or private property owners.
Photometric modeling showed that 97.1% of intersections, 99.5% of street segments and 89.2% of sidewalks measure below target light levels. Consultant Dan Hamalainen said the data mirrors community feedback, which consistently cites insufficient brightness as the top concern.
Proposed upgrades and corridors
The plan recommends six initial capital projects, highlighted by four major corridor construction efforts estimated at $3.4 million combined. Work will focus on converting 28–30 city‑owned intersections, adding fixtures along downtown 2nd Street, and building new city‑owned lighting systems along four key routes: the 8th Street school corridor, the 2nd Street safety corridor, the 13th Street corridor, and the Casper Addition Reconstruction.
Beyond physical upgrades, the study calls for updates to Casper’s Municipal Code and standard engineering drawings to require future fixtures to feature field‑adjustable output and seven‑pin sockets for smart controls. Hamalainen also suggested a monitored solar‑streetlight pilot during winter months, noting that colder temperatures make charging more challenging.
Health, safety and aesthetic considerations
Consultant Dane Sanders emphasized that Wyoming’s default 30 mph speed limit necessitates full roadway lighting evaluations. He also urged the city to use warmer‑colored orange or yellow‑tinted lights instead of harsh blue lights, citing research that blue light can disrupt human sleep patterns and wildlife migration.
When asked about decorative lights on downtown trees, Vice Mayor Kyle Gamroth was reassured that any light generated by the trees is minimal and that the primary purpose of the fixtures is safety and visibility.
Implementation timeline
The master plan lays out a three‑phase timeline spanning up to 15 years. Phase 1 (first two years) will focus on city‑owned lights, initiating talks with Rocky Mountain Power to resolve tariff terms, obtaining conversion quotes, reconciling billing discrepancies, and establishing metering rules. Phase 2 (years 2‑7) will see utility‑owned fixtures converted to LED where the city retains service, and the four major corridors will be addressed. Phase 3 will deploy a centralized, smart networked lighting control system to automate dimming schedules, track real‑time energy use, and provide automated diagnostic alerts for maintenance and outages.
The full report is available on the city’s website for residents who want to review the detailed recommendations and cost estimates.
Original reporting: Oil City News (Casper WY) — read the source article.
