The City of Crookston and Otter Tail Power Company partnered this spring to install lights on the south corridor of the Highway 75 bypass near Ampride. “It’s a great partnership with Otter Tail Power,” said City Administrator Shannon Stassen. “Those lights will extend from the corner Ampride out to the bridge. It was brought up I think by Wayne Melbye when he was mayor from a safety standpoint it would be nice to light that corridor. Especially this time of the year when we’re going to have the around the clock hauling of the beets.”
This summer there was some concern that the lights wouldn’t be installed by the fall because the poles were on backorder through the vendor. But Stassen said that Otter Tail was able to change vendors and that the poles look good. “They changed vendors apparently,” said Stassen. “That is what they said they were going to do. The poles are up and looking good. I haven’t seen them at night yet, but they are up and in place. So, they figured it out.”
Through the partnership with Otter Tail Power Company the City of Crookston will pay $4,975.20 over 15 years to cover its share of the cost to install the infrastructure and after that, the City will only be responsible for the electric bill.
