The Altoona Parking Authority is considering the purchase of much brighter lights for its parking garage, which users complain tends to be “dark and scary” in some spots, according to Jessica Bilko, senior manager for Metropolis, which manages parking in the downtown for the authority.

“We’re trying to make (the garage) more attracting,” Bilko said at the most recent authority meeting.

Downtown parking officials for years have sought to encourage employees, students and others who stay for significant stretches of time to use the garage, where there are virtually always plenty of spaces available, so they don’t occupy premium street and surface lot spaces near businesses that owners want to be available for customers or patients.

At the meeting, a representative from a local electric supply firm demonstrated a multi-head LED lamp that produces 9,000 lumens, compared to the current 5-year-old lamps that produce 3,500, according to the representative.

“We want to make it feel safe,” the representative said.

The lights he proposes to install would illuminate in all directions, as opposed to the current lights, which are “mono-directional,” he said.

The proposed new lights could be “motion enabled,” coming instantly to full brightness as a car or individual approaches, dimming to 30% after five to 10 minutes, then shutting off after 10 to 15 minutes — then back on at full power as soon as another motion is detected, according to the representative.

It might make sense to leave every other row of lights on all the time, with the others operating on motion sensors, the representative said.

The lights would have a five-year warranty.

Switching out the existing bulbs with the new multi-head bulbs would cost $22,000.

Adding lights in some of the darker corners of the garage would increase the total cost to $36,000, because it would involve adding conduit, wire and fixtures.

For now, it may be sufficient to replace the existing bulbs, Bilko said.

If necessary, the additional conduit and fixtures could be added later, she said.

“I think one-to-one will get you where you need to be,” the representative said.

The authority will take a closer look at the firm’s fully detailed proposal next month.

Parking to be enforced

Authority solicitor Amanda Seely has tentatively determined that the authority has the legal power to enforce parking regulations on the streets, after that was put in doubt recently.

She did so after examining 650 pages of City Council ordinances and resolutions, among which she found a 1986 timetable for a street parking system, coupled with a petition asking the county court for a decision on imposing uniformity on the system.

She was planning to visit the courthouse to locate the court order that would confirm the street enforcement power, she said.

The authority is also planning to install signs that will designate specific parking spaces in Lot 16 — the narrow lot between 10th Avenue expressway and the back of the businesses on the odd numbered address side of 11th Avenue, between 13th and 15th streets — for Cardiology Associates of Altoona and Mountain View Eye Associates.

All the spaces in Lot 16 are rented by the month, with the rest of them undesignated, but available first-come-first serve to anyone entitled to park there under a lease arrangement.

Mirror Staff Writer William Kibler is at 814-949-7038.