The Fort Worth Transportation & Public Works Department is lighting up the future, with a $12 million budget sourced from the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, for the replacement and installation of more efficient streetlights across the city. This initiative, part of the ARPA Street Light program, leverages data from the VueWorks database to prioritize neighborhoods based on criteria such as existing lighting equipment quality, roadway and pedestrian considerations, and equity. Fort Worth officials announced that from the 345 city neighborhoods, 30 have been chosen for the project that will span over four years, as per the City of Fort Worth.
Last year, neighborhoods including Ridgmar, Alamo Heights, and several others saw the beginning of the upgrades. While the focus was rerouted underground where old wires were traded for new across tens of thousands of feet, above ground, 448 conventional streetlights were replaced. As of late 2023, the city has initiated the pilot projects, bringing a green twist—solar lighting—to the streets. Positioned to initiate conversions for Year 3 and Year 4 of the undertaking, solar streetlights promise an array of benefits such as zero electricity usage and minimal upkeep.
The TPW Department's shift to solar streetlights is not just an infrastructure upgrade, it's a step towards environmental consciousness. Neighborhoods set to enjoy these benefits in the upcoming years of 2025 and 2026 include Como, Highland Hills, Polytechnic Heights, and several others. Council districts 2 through 11 will see the impact of these changes firsthand, with work beginning in fall 2024 and an expected completion by October 2026.
