New high-mast street lighting on Alabama Highway 24 in Red Bay is set to go live at a special ceremony Monday evening that will see Congressman Robert Aderholt ‘flipping the switch’ on at 5 p.m.
The $709,000 infrastructure project began in May 2026 and included the installation of new roadway and high-mast lighting across intersections and long stretches of 24 (ARC Corridor V) within the Red Bay city limits (from the Bear Creek Bridge area to 9th Street West near the Mississippi line) designed to improve nighttime visibility and safety.
The project was paid for through a community project grant secured by Aderholt, so Red Bay Mayor Mike Shewbart said it would ‘only be appropriate’ for Aderholt to be the guest of honor at the switch flipping ceremony.
High-mast lighting is an area illumination system that uses a cluster of high-intensity floodlights mounted on a tall pole—typically 60 to 150 feet (18 to 45 meters) or higher—to light up large spaces like highway interchanges, complex intersections, and major transport corridors.
Monday’s ceremony will take place near Kennedy Street just off of Highway 24, in front of the ‘Welcome to Red Bay’ billboards that are visible from 24.
“This was a project that was needed to bring lighting to the City of Red Bay and to help bring a safe intersection to the city. This should also help with crime in the city,” Shewbart said. “It has been said that crime is higher in areas that are dark and hidden at night. We want to thank Congressman Aderholt for his leadership in Washington D.C., and for bringing our tax dollars back to our city.”
The contract was awarded to Big River Electric, Inc., in Killen, the low bidder for the project. Three bids were submitted, from $709,151.00 to $796,028.00.