Smyrna to spend $1.2 million on street lights as part of ‘Windy Hill Boulevard’ project

Smyrna City Council this week okayed $1.5 million to purchase 267 new radios for the city's police officers and firefighters. AJC file photo

Smyrna City Council this week okayed $1.5 million to purchase 267 new radios for the city's police officers and firefighters. AJC file photo

The Smyrna City Council approved two contracts to spend more than $1.2 million for additional street lighting along Windy Hill Road as part of a major road project delayed by the pandemic.

The lighting upgrades are one part of a $29.5 million street project that will add vehicle barriers, express lanes, medians and other pedestrian improvements along a mile-long stretch of Windy Hill Road running from Atlanta Road to Old Concord Road. Construction has already begun on the project, known as the “Windy Hill Boulevard” concept, an initiative that began under former mayor Max Bacon.

The city agreed to pay Georgia Power $767,385 to mount 100 pedestrian street lights on the thoroughfare. Smyrna will also pay the power company another $443,926 to install 280 lights in two tunnels planned to be built along the mile-long stretch.

The money for the entire project will be paid out of Smyrna’s 2016 special purpose local-option sales tax, or SPLOST.

Last year, Smyrna selected Baldwin Paving Company, a Marietta construction contractor, to do the project. Councilwoman Susan Wilkinson cast the lone vote against that contract.

She was also the only councilmember who opposed the service agreement with Georgia Power for the tunnel lights during Monday’s meeting.

City Council unanimously approved the service agreement for the pedestrian street lights.

Councilman Travis Lindley said the lights and the remainder of the project should be complete in 20 to 23 months.

In another expenditure approved at the same meeting, the council approved a $1.5 million contract for 267 new radios for the police and fire departments.

Smyrna’s radios, which operate on the Cobb County 800-MHz radio system, aren’t expected to reach the end of their life cycles until July 2023.

But by purchasing their new equipment before Oct. 29, the city was able to save more than $1.2 million on the upgrades by taking advantage of a discount for state contracts. The city is paying for the new equipment with SPLOST funding.