Streetlights are a burning issue in Winfield, where one homeowner said the village’s new high-arching lights illuminate their neighborhood so “it looks like a K-Mart parking lot.”
After an hour of heated debate, the Village Board recently voted to freeze the installations, pending a re-evaluation by the Public Safety Committee.
Winfield has budgeted $40,000 for this year’s streetlight program, targeting 40 to 60 locations. Installed by Commonwealth Edison, the lights are mounted on wooden or concrete poles at a cost of about $1,900 each.
The program was progressing smoothly until it reached the Winfield Knolls, an area off Jewel Road near the Wheaton boundary.
Joseph Dinicolo, a 36-year resident, found the lights “offensive.” He clashed with Trustee Rudy Czech over the type of lights that fit the neighborhood. Czech said coach or lantern lights would cost $3,000 apiece and would affect the project.
Village officials say their lighting priorities were based on a safety study.
