streetlight art1Every so often someone asks why parts of Rosemont don’t have street lights, and how they could get them. Other parts do have street lights, and why? Simply answered, the older parts of Rosemont were built before the County required developers to include street lights as they built. When newer developments went in, there was such a requirement and the cost of the lights was included in the cost of the houses. For the older parts of Rosemont to now get lights, we would have to either get the County to budget to install them (not likely since they would benefit so few directly), or the benefiting owners would have to raise the funds, presumably by an assessment on their property. The cost could vary depending on what was installed. Traditional lighting with wiring would be quite costly, enough that when this was investigated in the past the idea was dropped. New technology might allow for solar or even wind powered lights on poles without wiring that might be less expensive, but that would still require a vote by benefiting property owners. In the meantime, many of those in areas without street lights have opted to install flood lights on their homes, and new LED lights are very effective and relatively inexpensive to operate.