ASHTABULA - - Additional lights for the historic Ashtabula Harbor Lift Bridge will cost the city at least $2,000 more than originally expected, Ward 3 Councilwoman Betty Kist said at Monday's council meeting.
The Ohio Department of Transportation recently increased the city's $4,500 match by $4,000, for the placement of 17 more LED lights on the bascule-type lift bridge. However, the grant was not increased, Kist said.
City Auditor Michael Zullo said the city must take the money from the paving fund.
Kevin Grippi, of Smolen Engineering in Jefferson, offered at council's March 21 finance and ordinance committee meeting to raise $2,000 of the additional $4,000. The Morrison Foundation and the Ashtabula County Convention and Visitor's Bureau contributed half of the initial $4,500 match, at his asking, he said.
The new lights will display the same blue hue the current lights do, and they have the ability to display an array of colors for the holidays.
The deadline to submit the match funding is November 2007, while $2 million worth of upgrades to the bridge will begin in March 2008. Grippi hopes the bridge will be completely refurbished and lit up by the end of the 2008 holiday season.
The last major overhaul occurred many years ago and involved removing the bridge and floating it to a repair site.
Two years ago, the switch was thrown the light project, bathing the bridge in light from 20 cobalt blue flood lamps. Dozens of other bulbs, along with six antique-style street lamps, completed the project.
Contributions from individuals and businesses made the lighting project possible.
The lift bridge opened in December 1925, replacing a swing bridge in use for 35 years. Architects say the bridge is the only one of it's type in Ohio and one of only five in the country.
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