The city of Gary is about to get a bit brighter. The “Relight the City" initiative to repair or replace Gary's 2,000 streetlights is now underway.
The city says the first phase kicked off last week. It will focus on Broadway, 4th and 5th avenues, Grant Street and Ridge Road. The second phase focuses on residential neighborhoods.
Almost $3.5 million in federal American Rescue Plan money was allocated to the effort by the city council last year. An audit identified which lights needed replacement, which needed to be upgraded to LED technology and which areas had high outage rates, according to a city press release.
The city initially planned to complete the work by early 2025, but now expects it to be done by the end of the year.
In a statement, Mayor Eddie Melton says residents have raised concerns about the city's streetlights for two decades. He says, "Functional streetlights are essential for safety, improving visibility, reducing accidents, and deterring crime."
