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News & ArtsFriday, January 30, 2009
City Light 'Em Up
Posted by Unpaid Intern on Fri, Jan 30, 2009 at 3:47 PM
Posted by News Intern Aaron Pickus
So...thanks for clearing most of the sand and gravel out of Seattle's bike lanes, SDOT!
Now...how 'bout shining some light on them, City Light?
Not to beat a dead bicyclist or anything, but riding a bicycle across the University Bridge in either direction could quickly become a rite of passage for roughneck ne'er-do-wells looking for cheap kicks in the big city.
There are six streetlights between the northern edge of the University drawbridge and NE 40th St in the U-District, three on the west side and three on the east side. All six of them have, since the Snowpacolypse, been turned off. Even. At. Night.
Seattle City Light's website has a nifty online form for reporting malfunctioning streetlights but you need to know the "light pole number" in order to identify the offending lamp. So, last night, I decided to do a little bare-knuckle journalism for once and try to identify the darkened streetlights on the bridge.
After skittering, IN THE DARK, across the University Bridge, hopping over concrete curbs, bumping into pedestrians and waving my bike light around, I quickly figured out that one of the streetlights doesn't even have an identifying number. These lights have been off for months, creating a significant risk for the zillions of cyclists who use the bridge every day. Does the city plan to fix them?
According to the West Seattle Blog, the city's going to have to shut down several lanes of the West Seattle Bridge in order to fix a few dead lights. Is that what's happening on the University Bridge?
I've called Seattle City Light about the U-Bridge but haven't heard back. What's the deal, SCL? Don't leave me in the dark.
2
@1:
What part of "waving my BIKE LIGHT around" do you not comprehend?
Aaron, I've been wondering about this myself for some time - and it's not just bikes & pedestrians that have problems with that dark spot. I've felt rather nervous about taking my scooter over the U-bridge for much the same reason, since my headlight is only really good for being seen by approaching vehicles and does squat for illuminating the road ahead of me.
What part of "waving my BIKE LIGHT around" do you not comprehend?
Aaron, I've been wondering about this myself for some time - and it's not just bikes & pedestrians that have problems with that dark spot. I've felt rather nervous about taking my scooter over the U-bridge for much the same reason, since my headlight is only really good for being seen by approaching vehicles and does squat for illuminating the road ahead of me.
3
Silly kids, Erica already determined that it's fixed-gear bikes that are dangerous at that intersection and not speeding dump trucks.
4
I still see plenty of sand on my morning commute to the U District. It's all around greenlake and at the corner of Greenlake and 80th near Duke's.
8
"... quickly become rite of passage ..."
Passage to what, exactly? Sleeping with all the lights off? Is that hard, flat surface so difficult to navigate that you feel tested? proven? when you reach the far side?
Christ - what a whiner!
And this:"After skittering, IN THE DARK, across the University Bridge, hopping over concrete curbs, bumping into pedestrians and waving my bike light around ..."
Skittering? Hopping? Bumping into PEDESTRIANS? What the fuck? So you could example a lamp-post? If looking at the side of a fixed object is so hard for you - YOU'RE DOING IT WRONG.
Passage to what, exactly? Sleeping with all the lights off? Is that hard, flat surface so difficult to navigate that you feel tested? proven? when you reach the far side?
Christ - what a whiner!
And this:"After skittering, IN THE DARK, across the University Bridge, hopping over concrete curbs, bumping into pedestrians and waving my bike light around ..."
Skittering? Hopping? Bumping into PEDESTRIANS? What the fuck? So you could example a lamp-post? If looking at the side of a fixed object is so hard for you - YOU'RE DOING IT WRONG.
9
Put a flash strobe light on the front and back of your helmet and mount a motorcycle crystal LED spot on the front of your bike and realize Seattle City Light can't even sell bonds right now cause the market is illiquid.
And stop whining.
And stop whining.
11
It's horrible mismanagement and malfeasance for SDOT to say they can't figure out which of their own lights don't work, or that citizens have to report at all, much less that SDOT won't hear a complaint unless you give them the NUMBER of the light pole.
What total horseshit and everyone defending it is a big fat wussy wuss.
Street lights. They're supposed to work.
What is this Bangladesh?
What total horseshit and everyone defending it is a big fat wussy wuss.
Street lights. They're supposed to work.
What is this Bangladesh?
12
@9 - Will, a flash strobe light will do two things to allow you to see the road in front of you -- jack and shit.
Unless you also want to carry a big battery pack, most bike lights allow you to be seen, but aren't bright enough to illuminate the road for the rider.
Unless you also want to carry a big battery pack, most bike lights allow you to be seen, but aren't bright enough to illuminate the road for the rider.
14
The strobe light is so they don't hit your unlit bike.
The LED motorcycle headlight is so you can see stuff.
Now, go get drunk, cause you obviously need to.
The LED motorcycle headlight is so you can see stuff.
Now, go get drunk, cause you obviously need to.
15
How about NOT RIDING WHEN ITS DARK, you FUCKING IDIOTS.
I've been a cyclist for 24 years, and I would never ride in the dark. Good way to get killed.
TAKE THE BUS!
How about NOT RIDING WHEN ITS DARK, you FUCKING IDIOTS.
I've been a cyclist for 24 years, and I would never ride in the dark. Good way to get killed.
TAKE THE BUS!
16
Thank you for your action in contacting City Light and publicizing this on Slog, Mr. Pickus.
I ride the U-Bridge everyday. When it's night, I ride on the pedestrian part instead of in the bike lanes because it is pitch black and I cannot see the ground I'm riding over.
Not being able to see the ground one is riding on is very dangerous. If there was debris on the road and I ran into it, I might fall off my bike and into traffic, getting hit by a fast-moving vehicle.
I ride the U-Bridge everyday. When it's night, I ride on the pedestrian part instead of in the bike lanes because it is pitch black and I cannot see the ground I'm riding over.
Not being able to see the ground one is riding on is very dangerous. If there was debris on the road and I ran into it, I might fall off my bike and into traffic, getting hit by a fast-moving vehicle.
17
And all ya'll muthafuckas who posted calling bikers whiners for being concerned about the lights on a U-bridge?
Ya'll is just too fucking fat to get on a bike, so all you can do is hate.
Sign up for Jenny Craig.
Ya'll is just too fucking fat to get on a bike, so all you can do is hate.
Sign up for Jenny Craig.
18
It's actually a sinister plot to use less energy and reduce the City's carbon footprint. Get with the program!
But seriously, fix the lights already.
But seriously, fix the lights already.
19
I posted a comment about this problem a few weeks ago in another slog thread.
The lights stopped working way before the Snowpacolypse. They've been out since at least November. Pre-snow it was just annoying to deal with the darkness. Post-snow, with all the debris/sand/etc, it was indeed dangerous to ride the bridge. I also walk across the bridge on some evenings and I've had to slow down so as not to creep up in the dark on a walker in front of me and freak them out.
Two (TWO!) months ago, seattle city light told me that "the Crews are aware of the problem, it is currently unknown when the problem will be resolved."
I don't understand why this isn't a higher priority issue for them.
The lights stopped working way before the Snowpacolypse. They've been out since at least November. Pre-snow it was just annoying to deal with the darkness. Post-snow, with all the debris/sand/etc, it was indeed dangerous to ride the bridge. I also walk across the bridge on some evenings and I've had to slow down so as not to creep up in the dark on a walker in front of me and freak them out.
Two (TWO!) months ago, seattle city light told me that "the Crews are aware of the problem, it is currently unknown when the problem will be resolved."
I don't understand why this isn't a higher priority issue for them.
20
@11: thank you for the reference to Bangladesh.
This isn't fucking brain surgery. Fix the damn lights. Today, fuckers.
This isn't fucking brain surgery. Fix the damn lights. Today, fuckers.
21
A couple of years ago, the street light near my home's driveway went out. Some months later, I accidentally stumbled across a City of Seattle web-page where you could make a detailed report on a burned-out street light, which I did (including the pole number). It was probably a year later that the light was finally replaced.
22
In response to Unpaid Interns Jan. 30th posting about streetlights on the University Bridge:
Seattle City Light is well aware of the problem of lighting problems on the University Bridge and has been working hard towards a solution. The reason those lights are out is that during the many years of Metro trolley operations the wiring for the lights has deteriorated and been destroyed. Add to that, under the current standards for safety and reliability, the wires cannot be replaced using the original system design from 1919. After 90 years of operation, this system has outlived its useful life and requires a more long-term fix.
City Lights engineers have been working with the Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) to craft a plan to repair the lighting. Today the two departments signed a Memorandum of Agreement to start the rewiring process. On Wednesday of this week (Feb. 4), a joint project will begin to completely rehabilitate the bridge lighting. SDOT will take the lead in the physical work on the bridge itself. We believe it will take four to six weeks to replace the conduit and wiring, although we expect some of the lights will be back on before then.
Last year, several trolley masts lost contact with their overhead supply lines on the bridge and snagged the supporting guy wires, which shook the poles severely. This violent action actually ripped one mast arm completely off the pole. In another incident a trolley snagged the lighting circuit and tore it down, which caused a short circuit that melted the insulation on the feed wires attached to an overhead guy wire that is bonded to the poles. That construction is no longer allowed by federal regulations and, thus, cannot simply be replaced or rebuilt. We believe the joint plan approved today is a good solution.
City Light crews repair approximately 20,000 streetlights every year. With about 84,000 street lights in the city, it is an ongoing task. City Light primarily relies on citizens to report lights that are out or blinking off and on, because we cannot be everywhere. This is a good example of people participating in the health of our own community and letting us know when things such as our lighting infrastructure aren't working. We appreciate citizens taking personal responsibility for our common interests.
Reporting trouble streetlights is easy to do by phone (206-684-7056) or online at (http://www.seattle.gov/light/streetlight…).
More...
Seattle City Light is well aware of the problem of lighting problems on the University Bridge and has been working hard towards a solution. The reason those lights are out is that during the many years of Metro trolley operations the wiring for the lights has deteriorated and been destroyed. Add to that, under the current standards for safety and reliability, the wires cannot be replaced using the original system design from 1919. After 90 years of operation, this system has outlived its useful life and requires a more long-term fix.
City Lights engineers have been working with the Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) to craft a plan to repair the lighting. Today the two departments signed a Memorandum of Agreement to start the rewiring process. On Wednesday of this week (Feb. 4), a joint project will begin to completely rehabilitate the bridge lighting. SDOT will take the lead in the physical work on the bridge itself. We believe it will take four to six weeks to replace the conduit and wiring, although we expect some of the lights will be back on before then.
Last year, several trolley masts lost contact with their overhead supply lines on the bridge and snagged the supporting guy wires, which shook the poles severely. This violent action actually ripped one mast arm completely off the pole. In another incident a trolley snagged the lighting circuit and tore it down, which caused a short circuit that melted the insulation on the feed wires attached to an overhead guy wire that is bonded to the poles. That construction is no longer allowed by federal regulations and, thus, cannot simply be replaced or rebuilt. We believe the joint plan approved today is a good solution.
City Light crews repair approximately 20,000 streetlights every year. With about 84,000 street lights in the city, it is an ongoing task. City Light primarily relies on citizens to report lights that are out or blinking off and on, because we cannot be everywhere. This is a good example of people participating in the health of our own community and letting us know when things such as our lighting infrastructure aren't working. We appreciate citizens taking personal responsibility for our common interests.
Reporting trouble streetlights is easy to do by phone (206-684-7056) or online at (http://www.seattle.gov/light/streetlight…).
23
I've been working diligently, and quietly thus far, on the Pedestrian Advisory Board (www.seattle.gov/spab), to figure out what's going on with City Light's maintenance of Seattle's streetlights. It used to be awesome, and now it's pretty shabby (http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/3542…). For almost a year I've been keeping a spreadsheet of all the lights I see and report out, and where possible, how long they take to get fixed (compared vs. SCL's inconsistent, ever-changing estimate of how long it should take).
I'm making progress; learning what some of the problems are and who the right people are to talk to. But this is a long term effort. In December I got a City Light manager to tour Pine St. with me from 4th Ave. to I-5. I'd previously audited Pine from 7th to Broadway and found that 10% of the streetlights there were either out or cycling on and off (which means they're dying). Said manager agreed to give the Ped Board a presentation on street lighting at an upcoming meeting. I had a P-I reporter ready to attend that, but given their sale, I'm not sure now. While an SCL spokesman recently claimed in the press that something like 400 lights were out at a time, the 10% rate multiplied by about 80,000 streetlights in the city suggests a figure more like 8000. But SCL is making some changes that will improve things. They won't fix the whole problem, and they won't be fully implemented for a few years, but they're progress. There even may be money in the short term to add some new bike/ped-level lighting in heavily traveled, dimly lit areas (e.g. Pine St. over I-5). I'll be working with the Ped Board, and the release of the city's Pedestrian Master Plan, to try to add new lighting where it's needed, and get it allocated in a rational manner.
Street lighting is a crime issue, a safety issue, a transportation issue, and a commerce issue. It's been my pet cause on the Ped Board. If you have data, I'd LOVE to see it (if not, I encourage you to collect it). If you want to hear more of what I've done and learned so far, or if you want to help, *please* come to a Ped Board meeting (2nd Wednesdays, City Hall L280, 6pm) or email the Ped Board through our website and ask for Jon.
More...
I'm making progress; learning what some of the problems are and who the right people are to talk to. But this is a long term effort. In December I got a City Light manager to tour Pine St. with me from 4th Ave. to I-5. I'd previously audited Pine from 7th to Broadway and found that 10% of the streetlights there were either out or cycling on and off (which means they're dying). Said manager agreed to give the Ped Board a presentation on street lighting at an upcoming meeting. I had a P-I reporter ready to attend that, but given their sale, I'm not sure now. While an SCL spokesman recently claimed in the press that something like 400 lights were out at a time, the 10% rate multiplied by about 80,000 streetlights in the city suggests a figure more like 8000. But SCL is making some changes that will improve things. They won't fix the whole problem, and they won't be fully implemented for a few years, but they're progress. There even may be money in the short term to add some new bike/ped-level lighting in heavily traveled, dimly lit areas (e.g. Pine St. over I-5). I'll be working with the Ped Board, and the release of the city's Pedestrian Master Plan, to try to add new lighting where it's needed, and get it allocated in a rational manner.
Street lighting is a crime issue, a safety issue, a transportation issue, and a commerce issue. It's been my pet cause on the Ped Board. If you have data, I'd LOVE to see it (if not, I encourage you to collect it). If you want to hear more of what I've done and learned so far, or if you want to help, *please* come to a Ped Board meeting (2nd Wednesdays, City Hall L280, 6pm) or email the Ped Board through our website and ask for Jon.
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