Case study February 2018
Overview: In the middle of the flat prairies of northeastern Colorado, the rolling hills of Wray are a welcome sight. The Republican River flows through the town, with a pathway meandering alongside for over two miles. Previously, only a few nearby street lights illuminated a portion of it; the city sought lighting to make the path safe for pedestrians and cyclists trying to cross town.
Wray, Colorado, USA
GreenWay™, 125-watt series with 17.5-watt LED and Type V Fixture
Being so close to the river presented some unique challenges for the project. Trenching would have been problematic due to high water levels, tree limbs, and cleanup afterward, so installing a grid-powered lighting system would have been very expensive. Without the additional cost of trenching and wiring, solar pathway lighting fit the bill perfectly.
Sol designed 71 GreenWay™ solar pathway lights to ensure an enjoyable and safe walkway. The Dark-Sky Compliant lighting helped focus the light with little trespassing into unwanted areas, minimizing the negative effects of artificial lighting on wildlife.
WSI Lighting, a local installer, was selected to install the systems; there was minimal disruption to the pathway and surrounding area. Once installed, the outdoor solar lights were up and running that night.
It has been approximately 10 years since these lights were installed. “Everything is still working,” says Lee Tufton, City of Wray Electrical Lineman Supervisor, who handles maintenance for city lighting. “It’s been quite a headache-free project because I haven’t had to worry about it. It’s saved me a lot of time on maintenance—I can go and do other projects around the city.”
Community feedback has remained positive; Tufton says everyone loves the lights. Plus, people in the community let the City know the lights are out—because they’re using the trail, perhaps more than before. Solar lighting has proven to be viable over the long term.
One of the first things that people see when they come from the west into Wray is the walking path and, at night, lit by solar lighting. People remember Wray for a lot of reasons, and one is that great walking path that has the solar lights on it.”
-James Depue, City Manager, City of Wray
