Street lights along Link One, Phase 2
PHILIPSBURG--Utilities company GEBE has restored about 1,800 street lights that were destroyed by Hurricane Irma in 2017 and aims to finalise the remainder of the restoration process this year as part of its priority for 2021.
Prior to Irma a few more than 4,000 street lights had been installed. A survey conducted after the storm showed that only 1,700 streetlights survived the devastation. The company has restored about 1,800 street lights to date and aims to complete work on the remainder this year.
GEBE said the restoration is taking longer than projected, due to budget constraints. “In 2020, even during the COVID period, NV GEBE has installed and/or replaced over 800 street lights,” GEBE said in a press release.
The street light network in St. Maarten is owned by government, legally represented by the Ministry of Public Housing, Spatial Planning, Environment and Infrastructure VROMI. In 2014, VROMI entered into a management agreement with GEBE to manage and maintain the street light network.
Based on the street light management agreement, GEBE has been replacing old high-pressure sodium (HPS) orange lighting fixtures with more reliable, energy-efficient and resilient street lights that house light emitting diode (LED) components.
To complete the street light network, a management system has been acquired (still in test phase) to monitor the components. The management system can control and monitor street lights by switching the lights on and off, reading/monitoring the lights’ consumption, receiving alarms when a street light malfunctions (not lighting or staying on), and the system has the capability to be used for lighting of emergency routes.
Grid underground
In the meantime, GEBE and the National Recovery Program Bureau (NRPB) are in deliberations to realise the resiliency of GEBE’s utility network. The intention is to have the remainder of the overhead grid installed underground. This work will be executed over a 2.5-year period and consists of 136 projects: the remaining streets that are still being fed via the overhead electrical network.
These projects will consist of the required trench works and utility installation for cables, water lines, fibre-optic conduit and street lights.
“Once completed (in 2023) all roads (Kadaster defined) will be lit, creating a safe feeling for the people of St. Maarten.”
Camera surveillance
The St. Maarten Police Force KPSM in partnership with VROMI and GEBE reached an agreement in 2019 to install community safety street lights equipped with digital surveillance cameras. The Police Force monitors and operates the cameras at the Camera Surveillance Center in real time. This helps the police to quickly identify and resolve unlawful activities.
GEBE Interim Manager Sharine Daniel said the presence of adequate lighting acts as a deterrent to criminals and as an early warning system for potential victims.
“When it’s dark, people feel a heightened sense of anxiety. A brightly-lit area generally makes us feel safer, which is the psychological effect of light. Good street lighting also is a benefit for commercial establishments, because areas with adequate lighting feel more welcoming and safer to customers,” it was stated in a press release.
GEBE said taking privacy laws into account, all images captured and gathered by the cameras for legal purposes will be managed and stored solely by the police’s Camera Surveillance Center and fall under the responsibility of the Chief of Police.
Currently there are more than 80 active community safety street lights installed island-wide that will serve as part of the expansion of the Police Force’s present Camera Observation Project.
“This will definitely serve as a great addition to the camera project which has proven to be very successful in crime prevention on the island. The goal of NV GEBE is to provide clearer, more-reliable and energy-efficient street lights for the entire community of St. Maarten while KPSM will be able to monitor any illegal activities in those areas,” it was stated in the release.
Interim Manager of Distribution Patrick Drijvers said, “Street lighting has changed how we live our lives after the sun goes down. Though we take it for granted, it’s hard to imagine going out for a run after dark, or taking out the bike for a ride in the evening or taking a leisurely stroll after dinner without street lights.
“The importance of proper street lighting is supported by many factors, with the most important one being safety. One thing that comes to mind when we think about safety is the prevention of accidents. Poor visibility is a leading contributor to accidents, both because drivers cannot see where they are going, and because pedestrians have difficulty spotting oncoming traffic or roadside obstacles.”
He said roadway lights are the main type of lighting used in St. Maarten. Bright street lighting is a need for busy roads that see a lot of vehicular traffic. However, this is not limited to busy stretches; side roads are equally in need of lighting. The light needs to spread over a wide distance so as to increase visibility for drivers and prevent accidents.
To enhance and maintain visibility, street lighting needs to be consistent and bright. Insufficient or inconsistent lighting in patches can cause accidents. Another thing to consider is the brightness. The lights should not be so bright that they cause glare. On the other hand, they cannot be so dim that they hamper visibility. Roadway lights should also be effective in intense weather conditions such as heavy rains and any other conditions that can degrade visibility.
As this project continues the Police Force, VROMI and GEBE will work in close contact with each other to determine the areas for additional community safety street light placement, “as this will definitely improve safety and security in all communities on the island of St. Maarten.”
