2012.02.07
Roanoke County accepting applications for new street lights
New applications accepted until April 27, 2012
Roanoke County’s Board of Supervisors is setting aside additional funds for its street light program. Last month, the Board lifted the freeze on new applications that had been in place for about two years due to a lack of funding. New applications will be accepted until April 27, 2012.
Citizens interested in having a light installed must submit an application to Roanoke County’s Community Development Department. The application will be evaluated by staff to see if it meets the County’s guidelines for installation.
Roanoke County’s street light program is designed to evaluate requests primarily on road safety for vehicle and pedestrian traffic. Factors looked at to determine need include: the ratio of nighttime versus daytime accidents, how the road is curved, and the grade of the road being considered. Although consideration is given to the crime rate of the area, it is not a major factor for determining the installation of a street light.
Street lights requested solely for protection of private property (i.e. dusk-to-dawn lights) should be made directly to American Electric Power at 800-956-4237 with the applicant responsible for all costs.
Once an application is submitted to Roanoke County it can take several weeks to evaluate and if approved, installation may take as long as six months. Applications are available online. For a hard copy of the application or for more information, please contact Community Development by phone at 540-772-2080 or by email at apalmer@roanokecountyva.gov.
Submitted by Teresa Hall.
