A streetlight survey was undertaken by the Andover Energy Group as part of an effort to reduce energy use and save the Town of Andover on energy costs. The survey and recommendations were presented to the Andover Board of Selectmen, who support the recommendations. The Town currently spends $7,301 per year on streetlights. Removing about half the lights would be a savings to the taxpayers of approximately $3,600.
The New Hampshire Office of Energy and Planning (NHOEP) has long encouraged New Hampshire communities to develop plans for outdoor lighting. Some of the benefits for reducing the number of streetlights include saving energy, enhancing the rural and historical character of our town, and preserving the beauty of dark night-time skies.
Criteria for deciding whether a light should be maintained or removed included whether they are in a village center, near a Town building and/or parking lot, or at a busy intersection. The Andover Police and Fire Departments were consulted to be sure safety would not be compromised.
Some lighting is essential for traffic and pedestrian safety. The Andover Energy Group recently worked with Proctor Academy to improve traffic and pedestrian safety along Main Street in Andover Village. The streetlights in front of Proctor Academy were old mercury lights that had dimmed over time. Since those lights were over five years old, New Hampshire Electric Co-op (NHEC) replaced them with LED streetlights at no cost to the Town. This has made a noticeable improvement in the quality of lighting in that area.
The same replacement policy applies for all the Town’s streetlights; as lights are due for replacement, they will get replaced as a matter of course with more energy-efficient and downward-directed ones.
The lights the Town is recommending for removal are:
NHEC Streetlights
- Across from 41 Chase Hill Road
- Intersection of Maple Street and Tucker Mountain Road
- Intersection of Maple Street and Second Street
- Channel Road at the Town Beach
- Near the Green Crow buildings on Plains Road (currently off)
- At the low point of the east end of North Street
- At the curve in North Street behind Proctor
- Main Street, across from the old Andover Arms
- Main Street, near Bridge Street
- Bridge Street, on the sharp curve (currently off)
- Depot Street, near the Potter Place museums (currently off)
- Intersection of Cilleyville Road and Johnson Lane
PSNH Streetlights
These are all on upper Flaghole Road.
- Intersection with North Road
- Near 577 Flaghole Road
- At Hillside Orchard
- Intersection with Humphrey Road
- East of Humphrey Road
If you have any questions about the Andover Energy Group’s recommendations, please contact Vicky Mishcon at 735-6402.