Residents in the city’s Historic South Main Street District said the installation of decorative street lights this year will make their neighborhood safer.

City council supported 5-0 both a repaving project and the lighting project.

A delay in the repaving and lighting project, which stemmed from higher-than-estimated conduit costs, is slated to happen later this year.

The street light portion of this project is around $233,000, with $11,000 of that being kicked in by project supporters — who are property owners in the historic district between First and Nineth avenues — on South Main Street, said assistant city engineer Scott Tadych.

The remaining $222,000 will be bore by the 72 property owners, which averages out to be $3,000 per property owner, through an assessment. Property owners with more expensive homes, however, will have higher assessments than lower-valued properties. Depending on the final costs the assessment, Tadych said it will be spread out over about 10 years.

There will also be an option later this fall for property owners to apply for a deferment of the assessment.

Mayor Larry Mulligan and his brother, Councilman Joe Mulligan, own property along South Main Street.

For South Main Street residents, the lighting project was welcome news to the neighbors in the poorly lit district.

“What we’re looking for is decent pedestrian lighting for our neighborhood,” said South Main Street resident David McCauley-Myers.

“People are making investments in our city,” resident Betsy Hanavan said. “I think that those who currently oppose it may have a change of heart because improved street lighting I feel will reduce crime, will make the street more attractive, and ultimately it will increase property values. That just doesn’t benefit South Main. That benefits Middletown.”

Tied to a street improvement project of South Main Street between First and Ninth avenues, about 30 black gas-lamp replica lights — similar to the ones along North Main Street — will be installed in the city’s right-of-way. City Council awarded the $782,424 contract for the street improvement project to R.A. Miller Construction. An Ohio Public Works grant would provide a 54 percent match, up to $275,000.

While the road is being repaired, the conduits will be installed.

About $137,000 will be tied into installing the conduits, and Duke Energy will install as many lights as possible with the remaining $96,000. Tadych said each light, not including the wiring, will cost about $2,700 but that number from Duke has fluctuated.

The original goal was to install about 45 lights, but Tadych said more can always be added with the conduits installed.

Pennswood Drive resident Mike Presta was the only resident last week to speak in opposition of the street light project. And while he admires the residents’ initiative, he told council, “we’re forgetting about the rest of the people, the people that may not want these lights and the rest of the city that will have to pay for the utility bills after the lights are installed.”

“I just think it’s cost prohibitive,” Presta said. “You might feel the city’s portion to install lamp post and lights is small, but you keep telling the citizens that money is tight and every penny must be watched.”

Councilman Josh Laubach said he’s “gone back and forth” on this street light issue. While he sees the points raised by the opposition, including there would be a small increase for lighting, Laubach said he looks and sees what these residents have done.

“They have come together, taken ownership of their street, have agreed to pay for it,” he said. “These people are stepping up and at least 80 percent of these people have agreed to pay for it. I think it’s something worthy of looking at.”