Who turned off the lights?

[Anonymous.]

This has been discussed here before, but I thought I would make a new thread with a link to a photobombed map showing what [p180] lights are currently out downtown. I believe the city officially announced P180 was "finished" in late 2021. I live downtown and I often bike/walk/run through the CBD in the evenings when vehicle traffic is minimal. Some of the early P180 stretches in the CBD have been dark for years. And as you will see in my photos, now nearly the entire project is in the dark.

This is an interactive google map that I have embedded photos along various intersections of the CBD. All of these photos were shot last night [Wednesday 08/03/2022] between 9pm and 10pm. I will continue to add photos to this map and keep it updated as I canvas more P180 streets. All photos are unedited and taken with an iPhone 13 Pro with nightmode disabled - as it deceives how dark it truly is.

LINK TO MAP

[TheTravellers]

Pathetic, but not surprised. Have you contacted the Action Center or emailed Ms. Hamon?

[OKCbyTRANSFER]

I too live downtown and volunteer at the Civic Center. Always notice just how dark it is, even with the new lights. I know I for one, report the outages as I can. But as we noted, it's gotta be better than this!

[TheTravellers]

I too live downtown and volunteer at the Civic Center. Always notice just how dark it is, even with the new lights. I know I for one, report the outages as I can. But as we noted, it's gotta be better than this!

Yep, absolutely ridiculous it's left up to citizens to report streetlight outages, as I've said for years. And they promised to get better years ago. Crickets..............

[Anonymous.]

When you report the outages to the action center it says it will forward the request to OGE and that you can call OGE yourself. I have never tried calling OGE myself, but what a terrible system.

Like I would understand maybe a stretch or two, or a handful of lamps scattered about. But this is basically the entire NEW streetlight grid.

[OKCbyTRANSFER]

I email them and they will reply back with the work order number for your report. Could take about a month to be fixed depending on the issue. If it's for street lights, I normally skip the action center and go directly to OG&E
CUST CARE DEPT <CUSTCAREDEPT@oge.com>

[bucktalk]

This on-going problem is one of my pet peeves. It appears no one (OG&E, the city of Oklahoma City, OTA or ODT) seem to be proactive on this problem. Even new lighting along the Boulevard or new lighting along Kirckpatrick or the new I-40 lighting west of Rockwell - none of them work with consistency. One rainy night I came into OKC on I-40 and ZERO streetlights were on from Morgan Road into downtown. Pitch black and dangerous. It seems ridiculous to have the public tell those responsible, "Hey, your lights don't work". Why they can have a full time employee or system that notifies them lights are out is beyond me. If I were to grade the consistency of keeping streetlights working it would be an F.

[soonerguru]

It's one of the most consistently distressing examples of OKC just not giving a F. There are numerous others, but, this one really stands out. it's terrible. And, to Traveller's point, is something that could be easy for city staff to monitor and keep up with, ESPECIALLY when it's in the heart of downtown.

This has been a dog-ugly city for decades. Comparatively, it looks much better. But, it's still stuff like this that just makes it seem rundown and neglected.

There should be no excuse for this as much as we have collectively invested in this city, and continue to do so.

[bucktalk]

It's one of the most consistently distressing examples of OKC just not giving a F. There are numerous others, but, this one really stands out. it's terrible. And, to Traveller's point, is something that could be easy for city staff to monitor and keep up with, ESPECIALLY when it's in the heart of downtown.

This has been a dog-ugly city for decades. Comparatively, it looks much better. But, it's still stuff like this that just makes it seem rundown and neglected.

There should be no excuse for this as much as we have collectively invested in this city, and continue to do so.

Agree 1000%

[TheTravellers]

This on-going problem is one of my pet peeves. It appears no one (OG&E, the city of Oklahoma City, OTA or ODT) seem to be proactive on this problem. Even new lighting along the Boulevard or new lighting along Kirckpatrick or the new I-40 lighting west of Rockwell - none of them work with consistency. One rainy night I came into OKC on I-40 and ZERO streetlights were on from Morgan Road into downtown. Pitch black and dangerous. It seems ridiculous to have the public tell those responsible, "Hey, your lights don't work". Why they can have a full time employee or system that notifies them lights are out is beyond me. If I were to grade the consistency of keeping streetlights working it would be an F.

I've brought up the "employee driving around to check on dead street lights" multiple times with OG&E and James Cooper. Crickets. Same as the city's "We'll get right on that, look at all our pretty slides and "progress"". Crickets. Nobody except us gives a **** and we have no power to make anybody do anything about it, and OG&E don't make any money off of doing that, so it's low on their priority list. Maybe we can take it up with the corporation commission (oh wait, they're in bed with the utilities, sorry, forgot). I don't have any social media accounts, but why doesn't somebody start blasting our city councilpeople on Twitter with all the dead lights (Anonymous, you could start, you've done a great job documenting your set )?

[Bill Robertson]

I know among the literally hundreds of street lights out in OKC this is not a big deal but it's indicative of the powers that be not giving a F.
We have 5 street lights on our very long drive at work that are connected to the street lights on Meridian so they are the city's/OGE's. A few years ago we replaced bulbs in them and made a few of them work. But I was told not to do any more or to even do that again because they're not ours. One of the poles started leaning a few years ago. The more time goes on the more it leans. It started out maybe 10 degrees. Now it's closer to 30. And the kicker is it leans south when we have strong north wind and north when we have strong south wind. I've called OGE so many times I've lost count. I've had the Facility Director call. We've even had officials in Washington call.
Crickets. They've even told us they've been there and looked at the pole and will monitor its condition. We're a high security facility with cameras EVERYWHERE. They have not been there. We'd know.

[bucktalk]

Maybe a local news station can revisit this problem? I'm not sure 'In Your Corner' on channel 4 would cover it to resolve this issue because it wouldn't bring an 'awwwww...that's so nice' type of public response should the problem get resolved. If anyone has public clout....it our fearless communicator/administrator....Pete!!!

[PaddyShack]

I know among the literally hundreds of street lights out in OKC this is not a big deal but it's indicative of the powers that be not giving a F.
We have 5 street lights on our very long drive at work that are connected to the street lights on Meridian so they are the city's/OGE's. A few years ago we replaced bulbs in them and made a few of them work. But I was told not to do any more or to even do that again because they're not ours. One of the poles started leaning a few years ago. The more time goes on the more it leans. It started out maybe 10 degrees. Now it's closer to 30. And the kicker is it leans south when we have strong north wind and north when we have strong south wind. I've called OGE so many times I've lost count. I've had the Facility Director call. We've even had officials in Washington call.
Crickets. They've even told us they've been there and looked at the pole and will monitor its condition. We're a high security facility with cameras EVERYWHERE. They have not been there. We'd know.

I know where this is, I just happened to notice this very light pole when I was dropping off a buddy across the street.

[Bill Robertson]

I know where this is, I just happened to notice this very light pole when I was dropping off a buddy across the street.

I just saw this. I'm sure you've got the right place. That pole is getting scary.

[bucktalk]

The fact there seems to be no accountability for the much needed repairs astounds me.

[BDP]

So annoying. It's not like it's hard, they're just lazy.

While we're at it, who's in charge of setting the centennial clocks all over the city? Those things never seem to be right.

[bucktalk]

Heck, they can pay me 50k a year and provide a vehicle I'll run a midnight-8:00am shift to evaluate all the streetlight outages! Having the general public responsible to report outages is just ridiculous and make it feel like continued outages are our fault because we didn't report them. Crazy way to operate a business.

[TheTravellers]

Heck, they can pay me 50k a year and provide a vehicle I'll run a midnight-8:00am shift to evaluate all the streetlight outages! Having the general public responsible to report outages is just ridiculous and make it feel like continued outages are our fault because we didn't report them. Crazy way to operate a business.

As I've said, almost 100% likely that they (OG&E) don't want to do this because it costs them money. Why spend money on replacing bulbs, wiring, poles, etc., as well as paying someone and providing a vehicle/gas if they don't abso-****ing-lutely have to and aren't being made to by statute, law, whatever? They're going to *not* do anything until an entity punishes them for not doing anything, and I don't think anybody that has any power gives enough of a sh!t to do that.

[BDP]

As I've said, almost 100% likely that they (OG&E) don't want to do this because it costs them money. Why spend money on replacing bulbs, wiring, poles, etc., as well as paying someone and providing a vehicle/gas if they don't abso-****ing-lutely have to and aren't being made to by statute, law, whatever? They're going to *not* do anything until an entity punishes them for not doing anything, and I don't think anybody that has any power gives enough of a sh!t to do that.

Who actually "owns" the lights? If OG&E is just servicing them, wouldn't they have a contract with the city? I really don't know how this is set up.

[Plutonic Panda]

As I've said, almost 100% likely that they (OG&E) don't want to do this because it costs them money. Why spend money on replacing bulbs, wiring, poles, etc., as well as paying someone and providing a vehicle/gas if they don't abso-****ing-lutely have to and aren't being made to by statute, law, whatever? They're going to *not* do anything until an entity punishes them for not doing anything, and I don't think anybody that has any power gives enough of a sh!t to do that.

Well the reason why is that’s what they’re supposed to do.

[TheTravellers]

Well the reason why is that’s what they’re supposed to do.

Do you know that for sure? Is that actually written into their charter or contract? It should be, and it should be enforceable. If you can find a section of their charter or contract with the city/county/other governmental organization that says they have to keep the lights on or face penalties, good luck. Then we just have to find someone to actually enforce it or penalize them. None of that is forthcoming at any level of OG&E or OKC.

[Anonymous.]

I updated the map again today with more photos of P180 lights that are out. Posting a few here to show just how bad some of these are.

[5alive]

Wow...this is so unacceptable. Mayor Holt, are you reading this?

[TheTravellers]

Wow...this is so unacceptable. Mayor Holt, are you reading this?

No, he's not. But as I've said before, someone with a Twitter account should blast this at JoBeth Hamon (and the whole city council) and him. Get it out there in a massively public way (again ), because sometimes pressure like that works...

[bucktalk]

Wow...this is so unacceptable. Mayor Holt, are you reading this?

The continuous neglect is so unacceptable. There must, must be away to get this problem corrected!! Wish we could post the top 4-5 phone numbers of whom to contact. As they say, "they squeaky wheel get oiled first". Maybe we've not been squeaky enough?