Vicksburg residents and visitors using the city’s parking garages could see improved lighting and security mirrors in them by the end of summer.

The Board of Mayor and Aldermen Monday approved a resolution allowing Total Electric LLC of Flowood to begin installing lights to improve security at the multi-level garages. According to the bid documents, the company is expected to have the project completed by Aug. 2.

Total Electric was the low bidder on the project with $325,000, almost double the $180,000 budgeted by the city for new lights and video cameras in the garages.

The board approved a budget amendment Monday to get the additional $145,000 for the project.

“This is to install the lights only and install mirrors,” Mayor George Flaggs Jr. said. “The security cameras will be installed at a later date.”

Initial plans for the project included installing new lights and video surveillance cameras. The cameras were later dropped after the city received preliminary estimates on the project. The cameras were included in the project’s bid specifications as an addition if the city had money remaining from the project.

Total Electric’s bid to install the cameras was $150,000, $75,000 per garage, and did not include the cost of engineering the project.

City officials have discussed renovating and upgrading the parking garages to include lighting and video surveillance to encourage more people to use them when they go downtown to shop and eat.

The move was in response to an increase in traffic and activity in the downtown area centered primarily on Washington Street. The parking garages backup to Washington Street.