New light poles along Highway 31 in Pelham aim to increase brightness, reduce crashes

PELHAM, Ala. ( WBRC ) - Dark is how some drivers describe stretches of Highway 31 in Shelby County.

Now, a $7 million streetlight improvement plan is underway in Pelham to ensure drivers get home safely.

“At night it gets kind of hard to see,” said Billy Thompson.

Thompson is no stranger to Highway 31. He lives in Center Point but works at a car dealership in Pelham.

When he gets off work, it’s typically dark. He welcomes these new light improvements.

“That will probably cut down on the number of wrecks that happen,” he said.

Right now, crews are in action, preparing foundations, to replace overhead streetlights between city hall and around Highway 119.

Pelham City Engineer Michael Eddington tells WBRC not only will the light quality improve, but by replacing the older wooden post