Currently, the City of Salem provides approximately 10,500 streetlights for
the safety and well-being of its residents. These streetlights cost the city
roughly 1.5 million dollars per year in combined electricity and maintenance
costs, representing 20 percent of Public Works Department expenditures.
The city uses a combination of ownership and rental options in partnership
with two electric utilities, Portland General Electric (PGE) and Salem Electric
(SE). The shared ownership model has contributed to a system with over 100
combinations of lights and ballasts. The city has identified this streetlight system
as an important opportunity to increase the efficiency of government operations
and the long-term stability of financial resources.
In conjunction with the University of Oregon’s Sustainable City Year program,
the City of Salem commissioned a team of students in a Masters of Public
Administration Capstone course at the University of Oregon to recommend
a more sustainable model for their streetlight operations. The city seeks a
streetlighting system that is financially and politically sustainable in an era of
public/private partnerships, regulatory change, rising energy costs, and unstable
government revenue. At the same time, Salem is considering the environmental
cost and benefits of their municipal infrastructure.The following report examines available mechanisms to improve the
sustainability of Salem’s streetlight operations. The first section defines Salem’s
streetlight operations problems and provides a survey of possible solutions. The
remaining portions of the report provide in-depth analysis of the most suitable
alternatives and recommended actions for the city to achieve more sustainable
streetlight operations.
Read the final student report delivered to the local gov/community partner.
Sustainable City Year Program Contact Info
Megan Banks
Sustainable City Year Program Manager
mbanks@uoregon.edu
(541) 346-6395
University Faculty Contact
Colleen Chrisinger
Planning, Public Policy and Management
Local Government / Community Contact
Courtney Knox
Urban Development Senior Project Manager