Vibrant US 281 bridge on the horizon
Bright white floodlights currently illuminate the U.S. 281 bridge over Lake Marble Falls. The Marble Falls Economic Development Corp. plans to fund replacing the lights with color-changing LEDs. Staff photo by Nathan Bush
The U.S. 281 bridge could trade its white floodlights for color-changing LEDs if the Marble Falls Economic Development Corp. can make the numbers work. The EDC Board of Directors chose one of three lighting options during its July 5 meeting but won’t give final approval until it receives a cost estimate for installation.
The proposed lights would span both sides of the bridge, be operated by remote control, and change color with the seasons and holidays and to cheer on the Marble Falls Mustangs in purple and gold.
“We can use them for (football) Fridays, Fourth of July, Christmas, Halloween, whatever,” said EDC Executive Director Christian Fletcher.
Quotes from Spectrum Lighting Austin ranged from $155,000 to $540,000 over three options but did not include the cost of installation.
“Al Satterfield of Spectrum Lighting Austin has basically been a free consultant for us on some of this in terms of manufacturing and the sales side,” Fletcher said. “What Al has said is whatever you pay in materials, just double that amount and that’s probably what the installation would be.”
Option 1 offered the most comprehensive lighting, but the hefty $540,000 price tag and level of maintenance left directors uncomfortable.
“Option one for me is off the table,” EDC board President Steve Reitz said. “I don’t need it to look like a continual lighting bar.”
Option 3, a hybrid of the other two choices, was also too expensive at nearly $300,000.
After discussion, directors agreed the $155,000 purchase price of Option 2 best fit the budget.
“Option two would be if we were to take the fixtures that are on the bridge today, the white (floodlights), and replace those fixtures with color-changing LEDs,” Fletcher said. “That’s a one-to-one replacement. That’s not adding any new fixtures.”
Money for the lights will come from the EDC’s 2021 bond package.
“Of the money we earmarked in the 2021 bond, we put a number of $300,000 for 281 bridge lighting,” Fletcher said. “If you look at option two, and you double $155,000, we’re pretty close to what was just thrown out there as (an estimate) of what it would cost to replace the fixtures on the bridge.”
Directors decided to delay officially approving the new lights until they get an estimate for installation.
CORRECTION: A previous version of this story claimed money for the lighting was to come from the city’s 2021 bond package. Funding for the lights will actually come from the EDC’s 2021 bond package. DailyTrib.com apologizes for the error.
6 thoughts on “Vibrant US 281 bridge on the horizon”
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Horrible waste of money
Keep it simple and classy
Let’s not confuse the role of the Economic Development Council with that of the City of Marble Falls. The EDC is being a good steward of their funds by creating a more vibrant lighting dynamic which can be enjoyed 365 days a year at a very low operational cost. In fact, the LED lights will use much less energy consumption and pay for their initial expense just as you receive a lower utility bill when switching to LEDs in your home. I don’t know who pays the bridge utility bill, but I’m sure it is funded by our tax dollars, and now there will be more money to fund other good ideas going forward since budgets are rarely reduced. I plan to enjoy the bridge light show for many years and just smile!
THIS IS NOT A GOOD IDEA! I GUESS NEXT WILL BE RAINBOW LIGHTS? THIS MONEY COULD BE WELL SOENT ELSEWHERE!!
IDEA… Let’s NOT put new lights on the bridge and instead use the money to build a better animal control facility for Marble Falls.
Doesn’t Marble Falls have more pressing issues than colored lights on a bridge to put this money toward. It seems to me that it is a frivolous expenditure of tax dollars.
Marble Falls EDC has a completely different objective and mission that your referenced Marble Falls (City) has. The City has many more important things to focus on – and they do. Quite effectively in fact…