Turn on the Streetlights

**Artistic** · October-22-13, 04:02 PM

It's very good news to be reading about a couple of different areas of the city getting streetlights either installed or turned on. Are there areas/neighborhoods in the city that have all the streetlights on such as Corktown, Boston Edison, Sherwood Forest etc.....

**Detroit Signal** · October-22-13, 05:29 PM

Not sure, but the city estimates that only half of the 88,000 fixtures in the city work. The biggest problems you usually see on main arterials are entire blocks of lights out because the city still uses series lighting. It acts much like a strand of Christmas lights and requires one closed loop of current to operate. Many of these have failed due to copper theft and obsolete equipment. There HAVE been update to particular stretches of FIXTURES during the past few years, however and off the top of my head they include parts of the Lodge service drive, Trumbull north of Grand River to Edsel Ford and also in front of MCS. There have also been LED conversions in the last year, including 14th from Calvert and also sections of Jefferson Ave. downtown. Not sure if all of these actually operate because there was no wire replacement or infrastructure repairs - just fixture replacement.

**Ray1936** · October-22-13, 06:34 PM

Turn out ALL the lights. The party's over.

**jt1** · October-22-13, 08:14 PM

Originally Posted by Ray1936

Turn out ALL the lights. The party's over.

You make it really easy for me to have no sympathy for the retirees. Just be a little more honest and admit that, as far as you are concerned, everyone in the city could take a bullet to the face as long as you get your pension.

**motz** · October-23-13, 09:22 AM

Originally Posted by jt1

You make it really easy for me to have no sympathy for the retirees. Just be a little more honest and admit that, as far as you are concerned, everyone in the city could take a bullet to the face as long as you get your pension.

I was going to comment on his thread about his surgery but feel it'd be better addressed here. Does he think that making sart arse remarks about the city that employed him and is currently pays for his healthcare and pension is a good idea? I totally agree that it is hard to sympathize when someone says these kinds of things...

**Gistok** · October-23-13, 11:12 AM

Originally Posted by motz

I was going to comment on his thread about his surgery but feel it'd be better addressed here. Does he think that making sart arse remarks about the city that employed him and is currently pays for his healthcare and pension is a good idea? I totally agree that it is hard to sympathize when someone says these kinds of things...

Motz.... Ray1936 has been on this forum for over a decade... and he's always been a decent level headed poster. I think his comments were intended more as a bystanders somewhat jaded lament of what's going on in the slowly evolving story of the EMF and bankrupcy, rather than a snarky response.

So I wouldn't get offended by his comments... he's just giving us a glimpse of what goes thru the minds of retirees. As for the streetlight comment... just a reflection of the party being over for the status quo...

**motz** · October-23-13, 11:37 AM

Originally Posted by Gistok

Motz.... Ray1936 has been on this forum for over a decade... and he's always been a decent level headed poster. I think his comments were intended more as a bystanders somewhat jaded lament of what's going on in the slowly evolving story of the EMF and bankrupcy, rather than a snarky response.

So I wouldn't get offended by his comments... he's just giving us a glimpse of what goes thru the minds of retirees. As for the streetlight comment... just a reflection of the party being over for the status quo...

Thanks Gistok. I am just tired of hearing the same handful of comments over and over again, whether it be in threads or news article comments or whatever. It hasn't been funny in as long as I can remember, and its just unnecessary imo.

Artistic, which neighborhood are you moving to? Most of my experience lies with the "better"/"coming back" areas, but do have a few friends up in Virginia Park/Boston-Edison/Villages. Just realize that streetlights are an issue EVERYWHERE, not just say, Brightmoor. The lights on 2nd by Forest were out for god knows how long, leaving the stretch of 2nd between Forest and Hancock dark as hell. I know a few cars got broken into, luckily I was spared.

**jt1** · October-23-13, 12:25 PM

Originally Posted by Gistok

Motz.... Ray1936 has been on this forum for over a decade... and he's always been a decent level headed poster. I think his comments were intended more as a bystanders somewhat jaded lament of what's going on in the slowly evolving story of the EMF and bankrupcy, rather than a snarky response.

So I wouldn't get offended by his comments... he's just giving us a glimpse of what goes thru the minds of retirees. As for the streetlight comment... just a reflection of the party being over for the status quo...

Level headed and a good poster but his continuing snark is getting really, really old. I can understand that he is upset by potential pension cuts but let's look at the facts [[either by what Ray has stated in the past or assumptions based upon his user name)

Born: 1936
Retired from DPD: 1984 [[at the ripe age of 48, possibly 47)
Years of service: 25
Years collecting a pension: 29
Years of medical benefits for himself and, I assume, his wife: 29

So explain to me how anyone with any sense of finances can insist that 25 years of services should result in 29+ years of pension and healthcare for 2? I can appreciate his snark and frustration but the writing has been on the wall for 10-20 years. At this point he has more than gotten out what he paid in and insists the citizens of Detroit and bond holders [[and possibly current employees) should be the only ones to take the hit as long as his benefits never run out or get reduced.

If you ask me, DPD does a very important job and it is certainly a noble profession however 54 years of pay/pension/benefits for 25 years of service will never add up and it a big part of the reason the city is arguing why it should be allowed to go to bankruptcy.

Call me an ass but I'll take the needs of 700,000 over the needs of 20,000 anyday

**motz** · October-23-13, 09:03 AM

I can tell you that Warren and Forest in Woodbridge are missing a ton of lights, and it makes being around the neighborhood just FEEL unsafe any time after sundown. I would love to see some of the other neighborhoods get their due attention and actually have lighted streets and whatnot. I never really appreciated, having come from the suburbs, how much working street lights really do help with sense of security. Kinda take it for granted, but this is the reality of the city.

**Artistic** · October-23-13, 10:07 AM

All I was looking for was some honest answers to "streetlights". I'll be Detroiter next week Thursday when I close on my house.....yes there are people who really do want to live in this amazing, interesting, struggling city.

**Honky Tonk** · October-23-13, 10:13 AM

Originally Posted by Artistic

All I was looking for was some honest answers to "streetlights". I'll be Detroiter next week Thursday when I close on my house.....yes there are people who really do want to live in this amazing, interesting, struggling city.

The "Gold Coast" hasn't had street lights in years, IV is spotty, carry a flashlight if you're going down Lafayette or Mack.

**Artistic** · October-23-13, 12:19 PM

@Motz - Sherwood Forest, there seems to be newer covering wraps at the base of all the streetlights to deter scrapers looking for the interior metals. I read a couple months back an article that suggested that Sherwood Forest was a target area for lighting all the streetlights.

**Gistok** · October-23-13, 01:29 PM

OK Jt1... we've had to endure years of your lectures over Huron Clinton Metropark not coming back [[after they were snubbed by city government)... to take over Belle Isle...

And now you complain about Ray1936... and his "occasional" comments about how this affects him... and he's doing this not with a hint of anger... but more of resignation over the unfolding scenario...

And here you are in your "über sensitive" mode again... making his laments sound downright tame by comparison.... funny that....

**jt1** · October-23-13, 01:34 PM

Originally Posted by Gistok

OK Jt1... we've had to endure years of your lectures over Huron Clinton Metropark not coming back [[after they were snubbed by city government)... to take over Belle Isle...

Well, firstly, when was the last time I discussed this? You are correct that the city in, I believe the 70s, stupidly rebuffed HCMA however the last attempt by the city was refuted by HCMA. But back to the original question: When was the last time I mentioned HCMA?

And now you complain about Ray1936... and his "occasional" comments about how this affects him... and he's doing this not with a hint of anger... but more of resignation over the unfolding scenario...

It is more the occasional and you may find them with no hint of anger however they reek of complete and utter contempt for the city and citizens.

And here you are in your "über sensitive" mode again... making his laments sound downright tame by comparison.... funny that....

Facts about how his benefits are completely and have a direct impact on Detroit being bankrupt is sensitive? The truth is, Ray has made it clear he doesn't give two shits about the city or residents. I'm fine with that and certainly won't shed one tear when his 'earned' 30 year of benefits are cut.

Perhaps we can go back to you complaining about how you were wronged by Eastpointe police.

**DetroitPlanner** · October-23-13, 04:33 PM

I am fairly certain that nearly all municipal employees have the ability to also have a defined benefit plan. I for one have both a pension and I put 15 percent away for retirement. Thankfully I am not in the City's major pension systems, though my parents and many of their friends are.

I fully expect not to get everything that I was promised through my retirement system and have saved. Those who are 30 years older than me had no writing on the wall.

**Hamtragedy** · October-25-13, 08:47 AM

The streetlights on Fenkell from Southfield to Lahser were on yesterday........afternoon.

**motz** · October-25-13, 09:30 AM

I walked from 2nd and Warren over to Go! Sy Thai at Cass and Canfield yesterday, noticed that the section around 2nd and Forest is dark... again. And in a move that mystifies me, the parking lot lights for the Hookah/Indian/Laundry places doesn't work still. And I can say, certain parts of Trumbull have some nasty gaps in lighting, but they recently redid the sidewalks and installed bases for light poles.