Effective and well-maintained lighting helps create a sense of security and trust in urban environments. With this in mind, DLBA recently conducted a Downtown lighting audit in which members of its Public Safety Committee walked Downtown streets, reporting lighting outages and making note of potential sites for new lighting.
“You get a much different perspective on city lighting when you’re walking, as opposed to driving,” said Steve Be Cotte, Public Outreach Manager for DLBA. “You don’t worry about lighting in a car at night because you have headlights.”
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- Lighting outside the Broadlind Hotel.
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- The brightly lit Promenade.
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- Vintage streetlights outside Farmers & Merchants Bank.
The audit was a follow-up to a comprehensive Downtown audit evaluation organized by DLBA in 2017 which focused on trip-and-fall hazards, and was conducted in the same way; Committee members – mostly Downtown residents – went on a walk through Downtown at night, making note of problems with cracked sidewalks, damaged curbs and uneven surfaces throughout public spaces.
During this most recent walk audit, appropriate city staff were notified immediately of street light outages through the City’s GO LONG BEACH app. That information was relayed to the contractors who are charged with maintaining the Downtown lighting infrastructure.
Owners of private businesses and residences were advised of lighting problems as well, and were given suggestions about lighting improvements.
From sturdy, ’30s-era street lights on Pine Avenue to the contemporary, sculptural LED structures that illuminate bus stops, lighting is a key ingredient in the safety and aesthetic of Downtown Long Beach. The lighting audit is an important item on DLBA’s 2020 task list, helping maintain and raise the standard of comfort and security in Downtown.