Broken streetlights leave Detroiters in dark

From today's Free Press:

Broken streetlights leave Detroiters in dark

BY ZACHARY GORCHOW • FREE PRESS STAFF WRITER • April 17, 2009

When night falls, Detroiter T.J. Spikes looks out from his house on East Outer Drive with frustration.

Most of the streetlights are out. After years of Spikes begging city officials to fix the lights, some workers finally came out last fall but succeeded in repairing only a handful, Spikes said.

Just a block south, a half-mile stretch of East Outer Drive is shrouded in darkness where the road runs past Mt. Olivet Cemetery. Every light is out.

"It's really a safety problem," said Spikes, 65, whose garage was broken into a year ago, costing him a snowblower, a leaf blower and car tires. Criminals "see it's dark all the time -- that gives them a reason."

Street-lighting woes and residents' frustration at the city's slow response continue to rage, as they have for years, so the Free Press spent three nights in March driving more than 200 miles of city streets examining the state of some of Detroit's 88,000 lights, at least 9,000 of which are out.

Ed Kiebzak said that as a taxpayer, he's frustrated with the lack of response. Resident Mary Lewis said the darkness is scary when she leaves for work in the morning.

It was nearly impossible to drive more than a half mile without finding outages. Main roads were especially in bad shape.

With a $300-million deficit, money for improvements is scarce. There are four 2-person crews for basic light repairs.

More related articles including
• Repairs can take years
• Elected officials live with it, too
• City wants to use Edison’s system

Can also be found at http://www.freep.com/article/2009041...4170345/?imw=Y

The city is saving a lot of $$ right now not fixing them. Don't expect that to change too soon. There are a lot bigger fish to fry first.

I know it.

Anyone know what happened on East Jefferson lately? Between Belle Isle and Rivard, I counted 5-6 streetlights and streetlight poles knocked down laying on the sidewalk along this stretch. A friend of mine noted another 4-5 poles knocked down between Belle Isle and Alter. Did someone go awry with a box truck one night??? I've actually been very impressed with E. Jefferon's street lighting in the past... a vast majority of the lights work and look to be in good shape, and those deep green painted ones between Belle Isle and downtown look really good. Hopefully these demolished lights will see some priority to be replaced.

Anyone know if the circuitry on Lower Woodward's streetlights and Michigan Avenue between Livernois and Wyoming is City if Detroit Lighting or DTE? It's unbelieveable to me how both of these stretches were very recently refurbished and yet they still do not function correctly.... sometimes entire blocks or more are completely dark, so it's not burned out bulbs. Hmmm

If the people weren't so beaten down, you'd think they'd be rioting in the streets at the crap they have to put up with. Another great reason not to move into the city.

Or yet another reason to move out.

This has been going on so long that it's a part of Detroit tradition like Motown records and seeing Santa at Hudson's.

At least one or two lights and light poles are down on W. Vernor, also.