In wake of high-profile crimes, Mount Prospect plans streetlight upgrades

Mount Prospect village board members Tuesday approved streetlight improvements for an area associated with two major crimes earlier this year.

The board authorized the village to spend up to $267,310 on upgrades along Seminole Lane, between the village limits west of Andoa Lane to River Road. Utility Dynamics Corp. of Oswego will do the work.

"I'm happy to see (the improvements) in this area, because I know we've had two pretty high-profile local cases," Trustee Augie Filippone said. "So, hopefully the additional light helps our officers on patrol at night, as well as acts as a deterrence."

In March, after a woman was carjacked at gunpoint on North Burning Bush Lane, surveillance video captured the stolen SUV and a second vehicle linked to the crime traveling east on Seminole Lane.

And in April, police responding to a report of shots fired on the 2000 block of Seminole Lane found multiple 9-millimeter bullet casings, as well as a vehicle with its windshield damaged by gunfire. No injuries were reported.

Trustee Richard Rogers lives near the area where the improvements are planned.

"And that street is always dark at night," he said. "So the lights there would, I think, be a real benefit to the community."

Public Works Director Sean Dorsey said Prospect Heights was invited to participate in continuing the project west of Andoa Lane to Wolf Road, but the city declined.

He estimated a total of 17 lights would be installed on 25-foot aluminum poles. All will be on the north side of the street, because of conflicts with overhead utility lines and underground utilities on the south side.

There will be about 150 feet of separation between the lights.