COUNTY OF SAN MATEO

Inter-Departmental Correspondence

Department of Public Works

 

DATE:

March 7, 2006

BOARD MEETING DATE:

March 28, 2006

SPECIAL NOTICE/HEARING:

None

VOTE REQUIRED:

Majority

 

TO:

Honorable Board of Supervisors

FROM:

Neil R. Cullen, Director of Public Works

SUBJECT:

Street Lighting Upgrades on a Portion of Middlefield Road - North Fair Oaks Area

 

Recommendation

Acting as the governing Board of the Menlo Park Highway Lighting District (District), adopt a resolution authorizing the Director of Public Works to install brighter street lights on the portion of Middlefield Road in the area where an underground utility district has been formed (5th Avenue to MacArthur Avenue), but where work is not scheduled by the utilities until at least 2007.

 

Vision Alignment

Commitment: Ensure basic health and safety for all.

Goal 7: Maintain and enhance the public safety of all residents and visitors.

 

The installation of brighter street lights was requested by Middlefield Road business owners through Supervisor Rose Jacobs Gibson, in order to increase safety lighting in the area.

 

Background

 

Previous Board Action

Adopted Resolution No.065657 on November 5, 2002, establishing an underground utility district on Middlefield Road from the city limits of Redwood City south to Fifth Avenue.

 

Approved the Middlefield Road Corridor Plan and authorized the undergrounding of utilities and the construction of road improvements from Fifth Avenue south to the Atherton Town Limits near Encina Avenue. The project was completed in 2002.

 

History

An ungrounded utility district was approved by your Board for the area as described above as part of an overall plan to improve the Middlefield Road Corridor. However, the work in this area has not gone forward due to delays in Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PGE) funding the undergrounding of its facilities.

 

The street lights in this area consist of a mix of 50 watt low pressure sodium vapor (casting a yellow light) and 70 watt high pressure sodium vapor luminaries (casting a whiter light). These lights are located on existing wooden utility poles that are not owned by the District. There are approximately twenty-six (26) 50 or 70 watt street lights and two (2) new 150 watt lights. The 150 watt lights are located on the northern side of Middlefield Road at Fifth Avenue and were installed as part of a previously approved and constructed project.

 

Discussion

Staff has evaluated the existing lights, and the existing fixtures can be replaced with 150 watt fixtures that would provide brighter lighting. However the overall effectiveness of the lighting may be hampered by all the existing aerial utility wires that are currently in place on this section of Middlefield Road. The location of the wires may also dictate the light fixture orientation. These new fixtures would be replaced when the area is undergrounded as new light poles would be installed similar to the light poles that were installed south of Fifth Avenue.

 

A resolution has been approved as to form by County Counsel.

 

Fiscal Impact

The estimated cost of replacing the twenty-six (26) fixtures and lights is $5,200 and we are recommending that the work be financed with District Funds.

 

There is no impact to the General Fund.