CORPUS CHRISTI, TX — Light Up Corpus Christi, a city-wide program that focuses on replacing all the old yellowing glowing street lights with updated white glowing LED lights, is right on track to make the community safer.
Light Up CC began in May of 2022when the city of Corpus Christi partnered with AEP Texas to replace high-pressure sodium street lights with comparable wattage LED lights.
City leaders discussed the progress of the city-wide program during a city council meeting on August 3. Electric Utilities Analyst for the city of Corpus Christi, Tammy Huffman, presented the council with information on how Light Up CC will benefit the community for years to come.
"It improves public safety and security in the community and saves taxpayers money," said Tammy Huffman, City of Corpus Christi Electric Utilities Analyst.
Huffman says this program will save taxpayers over $600,00 per year.
The project was divided into three phases, nine city zones, and has already replaced 15,000 lights since the start of the program. Light Up CC just entered its cleanup phase in June 2023, whereas the city of Corpus Christi and AEP began the process of identifying missed street lights throughout the community.
"We have identified over 300 missed lights in Zone 4 alone, and our staff continues to work with AEP to complete the surveys to identify all the lights that were unaccounted for," added Huffman.
Council leaders requested funding for a lighting study, which will identify deficiencies across the city so additional lighting can be added to the dark areas. The study will cost roughly $1 million for a city-wide assessment to find out where the gaps are, but additional funding may be needed to install more street lights.
"We know, for example, on Flour Bluff Drive that was re-done in recent years, there's only one light on that whole stretch. So, basically, that whole stretch is pitch-black. The lighting study will assess citywide where the gaps are. And then there should be additional funding to address the most vulnerable and dangerous areas," said City Manager Peter Zanoni during the August 3 council meeting.
City leaders said they would like to thank AEP for stepping up and completing the Light Up CC project within a year. AEP will partner with the city in putting up the light poles and hanging up additional light fixtures once the light study is completed in 2024.
