Village of Pitsburg

Pitsburg, a village of about 400 residents in Darke County, recently completed a downtown road improvement project. The village installed curbs, new pavement, removed old trees and replaced old utility poles and overhead wiring. But the downtown lighting also needed a makeover. “When we first started acquiring grants, we realized our utility poles were from the 1950s and needed to be replaced,” said the former Mayor. Village officials contacted Miami Valley Lighting to discuss the idea of installing new decorative lighting and provide more efficient and environmentally-friendly LED fixtures.

Budget-friendly lighting

Because Pitsburg was already a customer of Miami Valley Lighting and we were able to use newly installed utility poles, the former Mayor said there was minimal cost to switch to LEDs. The new lighting would also be relatively maintenance free for 5-10 years. “It was a no-brainer,” he said.

Custom solution

Officials wanted to minimize the number of poles along the roadway so fixtures were installed on new utility poles – a custom solution coordinated by Miami Valley Lighting. And like any local government, cost is always a consideration to keep in mind. “At the time, the council did not think we could afford to do the rest of the village,” the former Mayor said, so Miami Valley Lighting proposed taking a phased installation approach. They initially replaced 11 lights on Main Street. Within the first year, the former Mayor said officials heard lots of positive feedback. The worker who plows the streets in the wintertime said he could see curbs much better. Business owners and residents also reported how much they like the new lights. “They’re all ecstatic about them,” said the former Mayor. Pitsburg continues to be happy with maintenance provided by Miami Valley Lighting, as well. “Miami Valley Lighting is there whenever we call,” he said. “They’re quick. Whatever we need we seem to be able to get.”