Authorizing the Committee on Streets and Services to hold hearings to examine the current specifications for street lighting products and the Streets Department's adherence to the current specifications.

WHEREAS, The City of Philadelphia operates and maintains close to 4,000 CCD (Center City District) poles; and

WHEREAS, The City of Philadelphia is responsible for the maintenance of Street Lighting Products installed on municipal streets and side-walks and purchased by the City and other entities, such as business improvement districts, private developers, and contractors working for PennDOT; and

WHEREAS, The City has established Specifications for most Street Lighting Products purchased under its annual bid, “Electric Supplies-Street Lighting”, in accordance with Chapter 5 of the Home Rule Charter. These municipal specifications present and establish guidelines and attributes the Street Lighting Products must have, but not be limited to; and

WHEREAS, These established Specifications not only provide the City with many benefits, among them: the safety of our citizens and increased efficiency of City purchasing, but also provide clarity to contractors bidding on lighting projects. This annual bid process allows the City to accept alternate manufacturer's products that meet the specifications. This acceptance process often includes the presentation of detailed drawings, samples and engineering calculations; and

WHEREAS, Other major cities including, New York, Boston, and Washington, also have consistent and detailed documented specifications for Street Lighting Products; those familiar with multi-city standards attest municipalities have benefitted from clear specifications on Street Lighting Products; municipalities often provide contractors with a list of manufacturers' products which have been evaluated and are in compliance with the various municipal specifications; and

WHEREAS, Philadelphia has established a laboratory in the City Yard for evaluating improvements to the Specifications for Street Lighting Products, as well products from alternative manufacturers, in controlled tests; and this laboratory is in accordance with the requirements of Chapter 5 of the Home Rule Charter; and

WHEREAS,

Philadelphia has met with success and low maintenance with CCD poles since late 1990s when the current municipal Specifications were developed; two projects in Philadelphia have recently been completed in which contractors attempted to install non-compliant CCD poles with considerable safety risk to citizenry and workers and contrary to established Philadelphia municipal code; now therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, That the Committee on Streets and Services is hereby authorized to hold hearings concerning the attempted installation of street lights that lack City specified safety devices as well as have other variations from the City specifications.

End