For about 20 years, Gary residents have wanted streetlight repairs throughout the city. During his transition into office, Mayor Eddie Melton knew he wanted to put an end to the neglect.
“This is something that’s a legacy issue for residents,” Melton said. “It was something that was a thorn in my side that we had to fix for my first year.”
Melton and City Engineer William Allen are overseeing Gary’s “Relight the City” initiative managed by the Public Works department. Before Allen began his role, Melton said Gary contracted an engineer.
“Relight the City” addresses inadequate lighting and modernizing Gary’s infrastructure, according to a city news release.
The $3.45 million initiative is funded through American Rescue Plan Act funds and should be complete by the end of 2025. The Gary Common Council had to approve the use of ARPA funds for the project, Melton said.
“I just want to thank the council,” Melton added. “(It was important to) partner with them and share the data because we all share the need. They get phone calls from all their constituents, and they voted to approve that spending plan probably within the first few months of my administration.”
Of the $3.45 million, about $1.7 million is for labor costs, Allen said, and the rest is for materials. The city is replacing streetlights with LED bulbs, which Allen said will last longer than traditional bulbs.
LED fixtures are more efficient and brighter than current fixtures, he added. The current fixtures lasted for more than a decade, and LEDs will last for about 25 years.
In March 2024, city officials partnered with TWiG Technologies — a Wheaton, Illinois-based organization — to audit about 2,000 streetlights. The audit identified which lights needed replaced, needed LEDs and high outage areas.
Midwestern Electric, based in East Chicago, is the project contractor and will address about 2,000 streetlights and more than 150 pole replacements.
City leadership also worked with NIPSCO to learn what would be most cost-effective and help with savings, Allen said.
Allen believes money might still be leftover at the beginning of 2026, and the city will use that to address any future streetlight-related issues.
“Relight the City” started on Jan. 6 at the intersection of Grant Street and Ridge Road, according to the Gary news release. The first phase of the project will relight Broadway, Fifth Avenue, Fourth Avenue, Grant Street and Ridge Road.
The project’s second phase will focus on residential neighborhoods and replacing all non-LED lights.
The initiative wanted to target major corridors that get a lot of vehicular and pedestrian traffic, Allen said. Melton wanted to target Broadway first but couldn’t because they’re waiting on an order of 70 light poles.
The poles should arrive by the beginning of February, Allen said.
“Broadway has a number of missing poles,” Melton said. “I know Broadway has a lot of street lights that have been out for many, many years.”
For Melton, “Relight the City” fits into various other initiatives, including neighborhood stabilization and community redevelopment. Neighborhood stabilization means how a city can best maximize its resources and services to benefit an area of the city.
“Relight the City” also feeds into the city’s “Gary First” initiative, which is a housing program that Melton’s administration plans to roll out this year. “Gary First” is a housing program that will encourage residents to build or renovate homes in the city’s Emerson neighborhood.
“Relight the City” also goes hand in hand with blight elimination, which is a priority for Melton in 2025. The city will work on blight elimination in Gary’s transit development district, which has received $6 million in funding from the Northwest Indiana Regional Development Authority, $3 million in ARPA funds and $3 million from Hard Rock Casino.
“We’re seeing an uptick of people wanting to rehab homes,” Melton said. “All of this is coming together, and the street light piece is the catalyst, in addition to blight elimination.”
Although results might not be seen yet, Melton and Allen said they’ve gotten great feedback and support from Gary’s residents.
Melton has already seen a difference, saying he drove down Grant Street and saw fewer outages and a more vibrant light.
“It was extremely positive when we first announced the funding,” Melton said. “People are ready to see action, but I don’t think they’ll witness a difference until it’s done.”
Allen also believes the community has been supportive of “Relight the City,” and he’s seen residents interested in projects and thanking crews.
“We’re just excited,” Allen added. “When they get done with blocks at a time, (people) will really be able to see and soak in the major differences.”
mwilkins@chicagotribune.com