MARIGOT — The Collectivité of St. Martin is moving forward with one of its largest post-Hurricane Irma infrastructure projects: a 12 million-euros overhaul of the island’s public street lighting network aimed at improving safety, reducing energy consumption and strengthening resilience against future storms.
During its July 2 meeting, the Executive Council approved a request for 1.2 million euros in additional funding from the European Union under the 2021-2027 European Regional Development Fund (ERDF/FEDER) programme.
The project will see the renovation of 550 streetlights damaged by Hurricane Irma in 2017 and the installation of 550 new lighting points, bringing the total number of upgraded or newly installed streetlights to 1,100 across the island.
According to the Collectivité, the project is designed to improve visibility and safety in poorly lit areas, support economic activity and tourism, and create a more attractive urban environment.
A major objective is also to make the lighting network more resilient by replacing vulnerable overhead infrastructure and introducing equipment better suited to St. Martin’s hurricane-prone environment.
The new system will incorporate smart lighting management technology aimed at lowering electricity consumption and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
The French State has already committed 5.92 million euros to the project through the 2019-2023 Convergence and Transformation Contract and the 2023 Green Fund programme, covering nearly half of the total project cost.
