Streetscape lights to go in next spring

A shipment of the first 14 lights that will go up on Mineral Avenue as part of Libby’s Streetscape Plan recently arrived and city officials are glad to see some results from what has turned out to be a lengthy process.

“It’s good to have something here,” Libby mayor Doug Roll said Thursday. “We’re hoping to start it next spring as soon as the ground thaws and we can get started on that downtown project. It’s been in the making for a number of years … we finally got the funding together and hopefully everybody will be getting behind it.”

Trent Oelberg of the Libby Main Street Program said next spring’s work will include the installation of the lights on Mineral from Highway 2 to Eighth Street – three on each side of the first, shorter block and then four on each side leading up to Eighth.

“At first, I was a little bit against it money-wise and stuff but since seeing it and how it’s going to lay out, I think it’s going to be very nice,” council member Walt McElmurry said.

Roll said the lights would fit in nicely with the improvement project.

“They’re a pretty nice light,” he said. “They shine the light downward; they don’t spread it out. They’re set up for this kind of lighting.”