One downtown neighborhood will get a bit brighter thanks to federal recovery act funds that will be used to install street lighting.

Federal Way is slated to receive $194,128 in Community Development Block Grant funds allocated through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. The money is part of a $1 billion pool that was set aside through the recovery act and designated for use in the community development arena.

Federal Way plans to use the funds to bring street lighting to an area near The Commons mall — 17th Avenue South/20th Way South/20th Avenue South between South 324th Street and South 330th Street. Eleven street lights are planned for the area.

The neighborhood is low-to-moderate income and at risk for foreclosure. It is tucked behind the mall, near the vehicle licensing building. Dark streets lined with trees and sidewalks wind their way past apartment complexes to downtown.

Many of the residents in the area ride public transportation, said Kelli O’Donnell, Community Development Block Grant coordinator. Some residents, such as Betty Taylor, walk or ride their bicycles along the route often. People walk their dogs along the route as well, Taylor said. Street lights would make the residents and motorists feel much safer and provide a degree of crime prevention in an area located near the mall, she said.

“It’s not really safe to walk at night because it’s so dark,” Taylor said. “It’s hard to see people from the street. It will give that added security to the residents and the tenants.”

Taylor spoke at a city council meeting earlier this year, requesting the council to install street lights. At the time, she was told the lights would cost too much.

“I felt like the street lights were really important,” she said. “I knew that all they had to do was apply for a grant.”

The project will benefit Federal Way residents in other ways as well. It will create jobs. It will also create infrastructure, which, in turn, increases property values. The materials used for the project must be American-made. The lights will be energy-efficient LED bulbs. These bulbs generally last longer than typical light bulbs.

The project is expected to cost $174,715 for design and construction, and $19,413 will be split between the city and King County for planning and administration of the recovery act funds. As designated by the fund requirements, the project is likely to begin receiving bids within 60 to 90 days, O’Donnell said. The project could take six to eight months, with a four- to six-month included wait time for the light poles, she said.