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Q&A
DOT's prioritization and installation process for street lighting
3:03:35
ยท
172 sec
Council Member Julie Won inquires about DOT's process for prioritizing and installing street lighting, particularly in high-need locations. DOT officials explain their procedures and timelines.
- DOT conducts illumination studies to determine if additional lighting is necessary
- Lighting installations are prioritized based on safety concerns and when the need was first identified
- The department uses contracts for lighting installations, which can take time to process
- DOT is working on specific lighting requests for various locations in the council member's district
- The department aims to complete the requested lighting installations within the current year
Julie Won
3:03:35
Okay.
3:03:35
And my last question is for DOT Lighting.
3:03:38
How does DOT prioritize which locations receive street lighting first?
3:03:42
And are these opportunities are there other opportunities to expedite installations for high need locations?
3:03:47
Because recently we have been requesting updates on installations in addition to 40 Eighth Street, so we still need a thousand more lights, that's how many requests we have such as a Stel Place, Van Dam, 40 Ninth Avenue where we have high rates of crime.
Margaret Forgione
3:04:03
Okay.
3:04:03
So whenever we hear from somebody that they don't believe there is enough lighting, we will do an illumination study to determine if additional lighting is necessary.
3:04:14
Sometimes that means we put an arm on an existing pole.
3:04:17
Sometimes we will add additional poles, and sometimes we will determine that no additional lighting is necessary.
3:04:23
In order to install that lighting, we do have contracts, and we do prioritize based upon, you know, when we first determined we needed to do that and also if we have any safety locations.
3:04:35
So if you get me the locations in question besides 40 Eighth Street, we will write back to you and let you know when we anticipate these to occur.
3:04:43
And just so you're aware, they do go into contracts.
3:04:46
They don't happen overnight, so it's not always as immediate as we might like.
Julie Won
3:04:51
So is there a standard uniform procurement process for these contracts where you can say, okay I'm gonna purchase this cup and then within ten days we're gonna have this cup, so can you tell me once we are approved by the illumination study, how many years or how many days can we expect to take for that contract to be completed
Margaret Forgione
3:05:08
and installed?
3:05:09
There's been a recent complication and it might be something that Paul wants to talk about, But rather than have a contract which can have 10,000 light poles in various locations, there's more of a need now to determine where those locations are prior to putting out the contract.
3:05:26
That's one issue that we have had.
3:05:28
But we have many contracts that are at different stages and we do have the ability to get these lights in.
3:05:33
So again, if you give me the list, we will get back to you and let you know.
Julie Won
3:05:36
So is there an estimate time of once the study is approved, how long it takes to actually install the light bulbs, the light overall?
Margaret Forgione
3:05:46
Right.
3:05:47
And Paul, we'll jump in in a second.
3:05:50
We do have these lighting requests from you, Austell Place, 40 Eighth Street, Van Damme, 50 First, Borden, and we have a corresponding contract that they will be in, it'll be
Julie Won
3:06:02
this year.
3:06:03
Okay, so they will be standing with lights this year, within this year?
3:06:07
Yes.
3:06:08
Okay.
3:06:08
And is there any way when we're when we're talking to the community and they're advocating for more lighting, is there something they can do to expedite how fast the lighting is installed or how
Margaret Forgione
3:06:19
they get approved?
3:06:20
We will we will work hard to get the studies completed quickly and get them in as fast as possible.
3:06:26
Thank you.