MoDOT says simple upgrade will fix bridge lights

City officials and MoDOT believe they've come up with a solution to the bridge lighting problem on the Emerson Bridge -- bigger transformers.

MoDOT announced Tuesday that, after consulting with engineers from AmerenUE, the transformers that have been powering the bridge's aesthetic lighting were undersized for the job. They determined that a simple upgrade would fix the troubles that have plagued the lights by installing three transformers with two-and-a-half times more power each than the old devices.

The lights went out earlier this month, just days before Libertyfest, for the third time since their installation in January 2004.

The most recent outage and one last October were both blamed on blown transformers, and the lights were turned out in March 2004 due to a problem with moisture seeping into the bulbs.

One of the most outspoken critics of the light troubles has been Cape Girardeau Mayor Jay Knudtson. However, Knudtson said he couldn't be more pleased with the latest efforts by MoDOT and thinks this fix may finally be a permanent one.

Knudtson praised new MoDOT district engineer Mark Shelton for reaching outside his agency to consult electrical experts about the situation.

"To his credit, I feel as through he addressed the situtaion in a very swift and professional manner," Knudtson said. "The beauty of it is that he's also assessed what we have to do to make sure if this happens again we're not dark for 30 days."

Shelton characterized the consultation as common sense.

"We're more civil engineers, this is not an area of our expertise," Shelton said. "So who better to go to than electrical engineers to give us some guidance?"

Cape Girardeau Area Chamber of Commerce president John Mehner also praised Shelton for showing initiative on the project.

"It's great that he realized that maybe somebody in the realm of electrical engineering needed to take a look at it," Mehner said.

The chamber raised $110,000 from private donors to install the lights, and the idea for the lights traces its origin to a chamber committee in the 1980s.

"Obviously, it benefits everybody when they're on," Mehner said. "The lights are a showplace for people who visit Cape Girardeau, and they enhance everything else that is going on downtown."

Shelton said the two transformers, which have to be custom made and will cost $3,100 each, will be paid for by MoDOT and should arrive in early August. Installation should occur days after the arrival, as bids for installation include a condition that the items be installed within 48 hours of their arrival in Cape Girardeau, Shelton said.

The new plan will use two of the transformers on a full-time basis with one as a back-up in case of emergencies.

msanders@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 182