When it comes to receiving Obama bucks from Washington D.C., Oxford Township is definitely on a roll.
First, the municipality was awarded up to $1.5 million in federal stimulus monies to pave the gravel portion of Ray Rd., west of N. Oxford Rd., next spring.
Then, Uncle Sam gave the township $447,968 to construct a safety path, which is being done right now, along the north side of W. Drahner Rd. between Pontiac Rd. and M-24.
Officials are hoping their hot streak continues as the township board and village council last week both voted to apply for $140,000 in grant money to install two pedestrian crosswalk signals for the Polly Ann Trail and convert 78 of downtown Oxford’s street lights to energy efficient LED fixtures.
‘I think it would be a great project,? said township Treasurer Joe Ferrari. ‘I’d be especially proud because this would be our third project funded through the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act (of 2009). There’s a lot of communities that haven’t gotten any funding. I think that would be a good feather in the cap for Oxford Township.?
Applications for the Michigan Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant (EECBG) are due by 5 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 22. The federal program provides grants to states and local governments to fund projects that reduce energy use and fossil fuel emissions, and improve energy efficiency.
Congress appropriated $3.2 billion for the EECBG program, of which Michigan was allocated $76.6 million. Of that amount, the state is making $11.4 million available to communities through a competitive grant process.
The maximum Oxford could receive is $140,000.
The township and village are proposing to place push-button-activated, illuminated crosswalk signals where the 14.2-mile Polly Ann Trail intersects W. Burdick St. (near the Frosty Boy) and W. Dranher Rd., just east of Chirco Dr.
These signals would be solar-powered and feature energy efficient LED lighting, both of which fit in perfectly with the EECBG program’s goals. The cost would be $50,000.
Dubbed the ‘Enhancer,? the crosswalk signals that will most likely be used are made by a Florida-based company called R.D. Jones? Stop Experts, Inc. For more information visit www.stopexperts.com.
Because it’s a federal grant, the work will have to be bid out, however, because this type of signal is of such a proprietary nature, township engineer Keith Mayer, of Giffels-Webster Engineers in Rochester Hills, said there probably will be only one bidder who can actually supply the product.
Trail Manager Troy Farwell is excited about the crosswalk signals.
‘I think they’d be a great enhancement to the trail,? he said. ‘We have some safety issues with mostly young kids that will just ride straight across.?
Unfortunately, it’s not just kids who carelessly cross these busy intersections.
‘Just this morning, my wife called me and said some older guy went right across Drahner without even stopping and she almost hit him,? Farwell said.
Installing crosswalk signals would be a nice ‘safety precaution? in the manager’s opinion.
‘We have a lot of traffic in those two areas,? Farwell said.
The signals will also hopefully improve the flow of pedestrian traffic on the trail when users encounter these busy roads.
Farwell noted he’s received complaints from trail users about the extended time it takes them to cross these intersections, especially during rush hour.
‘It’s not our main complaint, but it’s definitely a complaint, for sure,? he said. A frequent trail user himself, Farwell noted there’s been occasions when he’s ‘been stuck there for quite a few minutes.?
The village is proposing to replace 78 of its metal halide decorative street lights along Washington and Burdick streets with LED fixtures, which use 60 percent less electricity.
‘We’re going to be using less electricity and therefore reduce our costs,? said village Manager Joe Young.
According to an analysis conducted by Relume Technologies, the Oxford-based company that will most likely be providing the product, conversion to LED lights will save the village $8,199 annually in energy costs, plus another $5,000 per year in maintenance costs.
Over a 17-year period, the village would cumulatively save $224,386, according to Relume’s analysis.
The average life of a metal halide lamp is 2.5 years whereas the average life of Relume’s LED light is 17.5 years. LEDs have a long, useful life, up to 100,000 hours, and will be virtually maintenance free for the first 17 years.
‘The other benefit is it’s going to have a more natural lighting ? a white light as opposed to the yellow light. It will look aesthetically more pleasing,? Young noted.
These new lights would be controlled by radio frequency signals, meaning they could be turned on and off or dimmed as needed using one of the village’s public safety radio bands, mostly like the one used for the Department of Public Works.
‘We’re going to be able to dim them early in the morning when we don’t need as much light, so we’re going to save even more money,? Young said.
The cost for the new LED lights and radio frequency control system would be $90,000.
Ferrari thinks the chances of being awarded this grant money are ‘pretty good because they’re both good projects.?
‘And they’ll like the idea that a couple different groups came together ? the township, the village and the Polly Ann Trail,? he said. ‘They usually like it better when three entities are leveraging their resources.?
Ferrari speculated competition for the EECBG grant may be light. ‘Because the grant (application) is pretty cumbersome, you may get a lot of communities that may not want to go through the process,? he said.