Cave Spring DDA plans to install solar lights

The Cave Spring Downtown Development Authority is considering installing solar powered lights in a dark spot downtown.

“Well, you have one side of the town square without street lights at all,” DDA Director Larry Dolan said.

The block of North Alabama Street and Broad Street have no lights at all, leaving the entire block in the dark, Dolan stated.

DDA entered an application for T-mobile’s Hometown Grant, which gives towns with a population under 50,000 residents a $50,000 infrastructure grant. Since Cave Spring’s population is about 1,200 people, Dolan said the town qualifies.

After they received the grant, DDA began collecting bids from both traditional electric companies and solar power companies. Dolan stated if everything goes as planned and there’s no significant cost difference, the city will lean more towards using solar powered street lamps since they’re off grid.

Due to Cave Spring’s history of blackouts, if power goes out downtown, solar powered lights will remain functioning, he added. As a little added bonus, the solar lamp posts will have Wi-fi as well.

“First of all, it will make things safer since people will be able to see better,” he said. “Secondly, it will attract more businesses because people don’t like to open up businesses where at night you can’t see very well.”

Moreover, Dolan said the changes will make everyday life a little more convenient.

“It’ll probably mean when you’re waiting hours for a table at Linde Marie’s restaurant, that you won’t be in the dark and you can talk on your phone for longer,” he said.