Lighting project to bring intermittent closures to Plaza Garage towers during non-peak use times

As part of a project to replace or retrofit exterior lighting on the Capitol Campus that began this month, the Plaza Garage stair towers (1-8) on East Capitol Campus may intermittently be closed during non-peak use times through Friday, June 30.

Closures will not occur during peak use times -- 7 to 8:30 a.m. and 4 to 5:30 p.m. – will not affect all stair towers at once. During closures, a sign will be posted on each entry door notifying people that the stairs are closed temporarily.

The towers need to be intermittently closed for safety reasons as contractors replace old lighting and install new connections in the towers.

Work in the towers that will result in intermittent closures also is scheduled for July 5 to 7.

About the project

About 80 percent of the campus light fixtures will be replaced to improve campus safety in the evening and nighttime and to achieve long-term cost avoidance due to reduced energy consumption. Work began June 1 and is expected to continue through August.

During the work, the north half of the visitor parking lot next to the Employment Security Building will be unavailable for parking. The area will be used as a staging area for the project.

Old lighting will be replaced with new, energy-saving LED fixtures. On the East Campus lights will be controlled through occupancy sensors and will meet "dark sky" requirements. "Dark sky" is a national standard aimed at reducing light trespass to neighbors by minimizing glare and the amount of up-lighting that can interfere with wildlife and the night sky.

The project incorporates Energy Savings Performance Contracting to upgrade exterior lighting fixtures, wires and controls campus-wide. In addition to safety improvements and reduced energy use, the project aims to:

  • Maintain the historic fabric of lighting fixtures
  • Maintain or improve campus aesthetics

If you have questions or need further information please contact us at (360) 407-8200.