A bright idea: Business-sponsored lights for bus stops

If a Royal Oak man's plans come to fruition, Taylor would become the first community to employ a novel approach to lighting its school bus stops.

Thomas Wither, 64, convinced the Taylor City Council and the city's school district to sign on to a program that would allow businesses to sponsor solar-powered lights at up to 50 school bus stops. The idea is modeled on the Adopt-A-Highway program that allows businesses and organizations to adopt and maintain sections of roadway in exchange for getting their names attached to road signs.

Under the Adopt-A-Watt program, businesses would pay $2,000 per year to have their names listed as sponsors on signs attached to the light poles, and the Taylor school district would get free lighting at stops that are not lit now.

A solar device would collect energy during the day and store it in batteries for use later. Wither's operation would oversee installation and manage the lights for a 14% fee. Money generated beyond the management and upkeep fees would be returned to the district and city.

Wither, whose two adult sons are working with him on the project, said he hopes installation of the 10-foot, freestanding lights can begin by October, although that depends on convincing businesses to become sponsors.

Wither already plans to expand the program beyond Taylor and has approached officials in Royal Oak and Ferndale.

Robert Bruner, the city manager in Ferndale, said city officials are waiting for Wither to clarify some issues before launching a program there. He said it's unclear how the lights would be used in Ferndale, and they might not necessarily be installed at bus stops.

Meanwhile, officials in Taylor said they are excited about the program's possibilities.

"It's a win-win for the environment," said Taylor city spokesman Dave Gorgon. "I haven't heard any negatives about it whatsoever