The lights on the Route 9W bridge over the Esopus Creek are attractive, Saugerties trustees agreed at the Village Board meeting on Monday, October 3. However, the electric lines feeding the bridge are exposed and have become a target of vandals. “Every year we spend hundreds of dollars replacing the lights that people rip down,” said Mayor Bill Murphy. “Hundreds of dollars? It’s the lights plus the manpower,” said Trustee Terry Parisian. “Every time Mayor Murphy or I see that the cable has been ripped and they are down there fixing it.”
The solution would be to install permanent lighting that would not have exposed cables, the mayor said. Lighting sets include the ability to change the colors of the lights to suit seasonal holidays or events.
Trustee Vince Buono said he is concerned that the state would have a problem with the village installing permanent conduit on their bridge. “It’s one thing when you put temporary lights,” he said. Murphy agreed this should be looked into. At this point, the board would only be looking into the cost, Parisian said.
The trustees agreed that they have received positive comments about the lighting, and it is worth exploring the idea further. There is 240-volt power at the bridge, Parisian said.
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