2008 City Innovations Showcase
Safety and Preparedness
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Making Streetlights Safer
City of Melbourne
To “storm harden” street lights, the City of Melbourne’s Facilities Maintenance Division has undertaken a number of measures. Bare copper conductors have been changed to insulated duplex wiring. These wires won’t crash together in high winds and burn out the circuit. Some streetlights also have been changed to armless lighting systems that are capable of sustaining winds up to 130 miles per hour. Since they have no arms, these lights do not vibrate with high winds. In the units with arms, the vibrations can cause the welding on the units to fail. The armless lights are also easier and safer to maintain.
Contact: Jennifer G. Wilster
Environmental Community Outreach Manager
Public Works and Utilities Department
City of Melbourne
2885 Harper Road
Melbourne, FL 32904
Phone: (321) 674-5761
E-mail: jwilster@melbourneflorida.org
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Palm Paradise
City of St. Petersburg
St. Petersburg’s City Beautiful Commission was awarded a $5,000 Urban and Community Forest Grant for the development of a pilot educational program on palm trees. Dubbed “St. Petersburg, a Palm Paradise,” the multi-media program focused on selecting the right palm for the right location, proper trimming and pruning, fertilizing and irrigation, and common disease recognition. Community objectives of the program included increased property values, reduced palm maintenance, better hurricane resistance and improved electrical service reliability. Emphasis was placed on eliminating the destructive “hurricane” or “carrot-top” cut. Partners included Pinellas County Extension Service, an energy company and the city’s Neighborhood Partnership Department that provided an additional $1,100 grant.
Contact: Linda Seufert, Parks Operations Manager
City of St. Petersburg
P.O. Box 2842
St. Petersburg, FL 33731
Phone: (727) 893-7313
E-mail: linda.seufert@stpete.org
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