Minneapolis is on a mission to brighten its streets by repairing lighting systems damaged by copper wire theft. The city has announced a sizeable financial injection to expedite these urgent repairs. According to the official announcement, Mayor Jacob Frey, alongside city leaders, is funneling $1 million from Minneapolis's contingency funds to mend the outage of approximately 450 streetlights currently in the dark across the city. "Keeping the street lights on is not optional, it’s essential for safe streets and enjoying our neighborhoods," Frey said, highlighting the importance of the initiative for the general well-being of the community.
As part of efforts to address this pressing issue, the city plans to hire more seasonal electricians and acquire additional rental equipment and materials needed for repairs. Margaret Anderson Kelliher, City Operations Officer, mentioned, "When issues emerge that are impacting our community, it’s our duty to respond." She acknowledged the collaborative effort to develop a plan that mobilizes contingency funds, to not only catch up on repair work but also curb future incidents of theft. Since 2022, wire theft has been a persistent problem, with thieves stripping away valuable copper in the night, leaving the city with a costly and time-consuming task of replacement—a release from Public Works puts the cost at about $40,000 per mile.
Reports suggest that Public Works has begun large-scale wire repairs since April, with support from additional electricians, tackling the accumulation of pending work. Findings by Public Works illustrate an impressive coverage of 4.5 miles already repaired this year. However, the journey is far from over; an estimated 17 miles of repair work remains. Bryan Dodds, Deputy Director of Public Works, expressed his team's dedication, "Public Works takes great pride in taking care of our city’s infrastructure. Our crews have been working non-stop in addressing as many of these important repairs as possible."
To stave off future thefts, Public Works is now implementing aluminum wiring, a cheaper and less enticing target for thieves. Aluminum wire is approximately 75% less costly than copper, making it a less attractive steal for illicit profit. This switch in materials appears to be effective; more than 10 miles of underground aluminum wiring laid out last year has remained untouched. A new statewide copper wire theft law, which took effect earlier this year, is also on the books. Its effectiveness is currently under surveillance by Public Works. In the meantime, residents can play a part in maintaining the integrity of the city's streetlights, with authorities urging anyone to report any outages to 311 and to dial 911 if they witness active wire theft.
