So a guy from Jupiter tells me he can’t see the stars because the streetlights of Colorado Springs are too bright.
Really!
Rex Johnson of Jupiter wants the city to turn off neighborhood streetlights pemanently to he has a better view of the night sky.
OK. Rex is not an alien. He lives on Jupiter Drive in Lower Skyway, where else?
And he is not alone.
Several dozen Springs residents have asked the city to leave their neighborhoods in the dark as crews begin reactivating lights.
Rex Johnson hopes his neighbors on Jupiter Drive agree to keep turned off this streetlight across from his home.
This is the light that prevents Rex Johnson of Jupiter from seeing the night skies.
A year ago, the city darkened 8,230 lights, including 4,590 in neighborhoods, to save $1.27 million.
Some residents were so upset they paid to $10 to $20 a month to “adopt” their neighborhood lights and keep them lit. Eventually, 1,250 neighborhood lights were adopted.
Jupiter isn’t so far away after all. Here’s a look at Rex Johnson’s street from FlashEarth.com:
City crews are about half finished reactivating lights turned out on neighborhood streets last February. Here’s a look at their progress as of last week:
Here’s a link to the city’s streetlight reactivation status map.
And here’s a link to a column I wrote last March about lights being turned out.
Requests to keep streetlights off were due to the city by Friday, Dec. 31, 2010. But if you have questions, try calling 385-2852 or email streetlights@springsgov.com.
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Bill, I am so happy that the City turned on the street light in front of my house. Any idea how much the City spent turning off the lights, and now turning them back on?
Its an easy fix to control the light splash of the streetlights. There are covers that fix to the light that aims the light rather than allowing the light to splash all over. It is a part of the dark sky project. Cost virtually nothing as I believe it can be funded. I have seen photos of the lamps after they have been hooded, and it really is amazing. The light directed below is much better, no blinding light above.
Your map is not accurate, even as of March 11.
All the streetlights on N. Murray, near Palmer Park are still out – yet your map shows them as being re-activated.
The map, which is from the city traffic engineering department, is accurate.
My column explained that lights on NEIGHBORHOOD streets were going back on but not necessarily those on major arterials such as Murray Boulevard and Palmer Park Boulevard. Those may stay out permanently, as I explained in the column.