Lights On! Puts 53 New Street Lights in Neighborhoods
The City of Tulsa wants to shine bright lights on would-be
criminals. Through a partnership with AEP-Public Service Company of
Oklahoma, a new initiative will do just that. A new committee
called "Lights On!" will install 53 new street lights in Tulsa
neighborhoods. The "Lights On!" initiative was a direct result from
the citywide citizen survey calling for more street lights to
increase neighborhood safety throughout Tulsa. Both the Tulsa
Police Department and citizens made recommendations for specific
locations where the lights will be installed.
"Criminals use the cover of darkness to commit their crimes, so
when we take that element away from them, they no longer commit
crimes in that area," said Tulsa Police Department Captain Jonathan
Brooks.
Of the 53 new street lights set to be installed, 21 of them are
100-watt high-pressure sodium. Thirty-two of them are 200-watt
high-pressure sodium. Most of the new lights and new mast arms will
go up on existing poles, but some new poles will be put in the
ground as well. PSO will pay to install and maintain the lights and
the City of Tulsa will pay the electric bill to keep them shining
bright. The estimated cost is expected to be approximately $2,735
per year. That's around $2.69 per month for the 100-watt light and
$5.02 per month for the 200-watt light. The funding for the Lights
On! initiative will come from the City of Tulsa's general fund.
"Citizens told us through the survey that more lights in
neighborhoods would make them feel safer at night," said Mayor
Bartlett. "We are responding to citizens' concerns by making those
our top priorities." Those requests have the Lights On! committee
starting with the police department's list of locations first.
Installation of the street lights will take between three and four
months.
Earlier this year, Mayor Bartlett initiated a Lights On!
committee, which is composed of representatives from the Mayor's
Office, Public Service Company of Oklahoma, Tulsa Police Department
and City of Tulsa Traffic Engineering to create a work plan for
more street lighting in neighborhoods. In 2008, a moratorium was
placed on new light installations except in neighborhoods where the
developer secured 60 percent occupancy. The city has lifted that
moratorium through the Lights On! initiative and members will work
to address more requests from citizens as funding becomes
available.
