Streetlight Outages

[bucktalk]

I drove into OKC from El Reno last night during the downpour. As I approached Morgan Road and I 40 I noticed NONE of the streetlights were on. From I-40 and Morgan road -then north on 74 to 63rd NO streetlights were on. In such horrible driving conditions, having streetlights working would be so helpful. Its embarrassing our city can create a beautiful downtown park and work toward new developments but cannot keep streetlights on. Embarrassing.

[shawnw]

Some downtown streetlights were out this morning

[BG918]

Agree this is so frustrating. Not sure if they just don’t care or don’t have funding to fix the problem

[TheTravellers]

Agree this is so frustrating. Not sure if they just don’t care or don’t have funding to fix the problem

I can pretty much guarantee that OG&E isn't hurting financially enough so they have to stop repairing streetlights. They don't care, haven't cared for years.

[baralheia]

I can pretty much guarantee that OG&E isn't hurting financially enough so they have to stop repairing streetlights. They don't care, haven't cared for years.

I think the central problem is that there is no (apparent) proactive search for unlit streetlights done by either OG&E or the City of OKC - all streetlight repairs are conditioned upon someone first reporting that the light is out. Even if it were only done once a month, if either the City or OG&E would send someone out overnight to find and report unlit streetlights that would go a long way to helping the lighting situation. Heck, between calls the City could even have first responders on the lookout for unlit streetlights, since we always have some that are active overnight. It's kind of ridiculous that the onus is always upon the public to report these to the City/OG&E.

That said, as a reminder, you can report streetlight outages to the City of OKC's Action Center (https://www.okc.gov/residents/action-center) or directly to OG&E (https://www.oge.com/wps/portal/ord/o...etlight-outage). Once reported, lights are usually fixed pretty quickly, in my experience - unless they need to run new wire.

[MagzOK]

^^ that's what I think, too. Anytime I've reported lights via the action center app they are fixed eventually. And that goes for most concerns really.

[TheTravellers]

I think the central problem is that there is no (apparent) proactive search for unlit streetlights done by either OG&E or the City of OKC - all streetlight repairs are conditioned upon someone first reporting that the light is out. Even if it were only done once a month, if either the City or OG&E would send someone out overnight to find and report unlit streetlights that would go a long way to helping the lighting situation. Heck, between calls the City could even have first responders on the lookout for unlit streetlights, since we always have some that are active overnight. It's kind of ridiculous that the onus is always upon the public to report these to the City/OG&E....

I've brought this up multiple times over multiple years to multiple OG&E personnel that I'd think would be able to run it up the flagpole, and also multiple times with my city councilman (Cooper). Nothing has happened, therefore OG&E doesn't care. And yes, abso-f-ing-lutely ridiculous *we* have to report the hundreds of dead streetlights.

[OKCbyTRANSFER]

The lights all around the Civic Center are back on. They had construction lighting on the streets as a temp measure

[bucktalk]

I've brought this up multiple times over multiple years to multiple OG&E personnel that I'd think would be able to run it up the flagpole, and also multiple times with my city councilman (Cooper). Nothing has happened, therefore OG&E doesn't care. And yes, abso-f-ing-lutely ridiculous *we* have to report the hundreds of dead streetlights.

If OG&E wants me to report outages and take off $5.00 off my OG&E bill per pole that doesn't work, then sure I'll report them all the time! How in the world it is our responsibility to report them? Their track record on this issue is horrible.

[dford2]

I drove into OKC from El Reno last night during the downpour. As I approached Morgan Road and I 40 I noticed NONE of the streetlights were on. From I-40 and Morgan road -then north on 74 to 63rd NO streetlights were on. In such horrible driving conditions, having streetlights working would be so helpful. Its embarrassing our city can create a beautiful downtown park and work toward new developments but cannot keep streetlights on. Embarrassing.

The State is responsible for these lights, not the City!

[bucktalk]

The State is responsible for these lights, not the City!

Just to make sure....so...on the OG&E web site, under the 'report streetlight outages' that doesn't include OKC highway streetlights?

[Urbanized]

OKC highway lighting is the responsibility of ODOT though I believe this is also via agreement with OGE, much like the City’s. The City of OKC has basically zero influence on most highway lighting.

That’s one of the biggest issues here; the haziness surrounding who is responsible for what. The public is made responsible for reporting outages, but it’s relatively unclear just what should be reported to whom.

[foodiefan]

. . .wonder if it would be possible to get all of the involved entities (OKC City Council, ODOT, OG&E and any others) in the same room at the same time and sort all of this out? Followed up by a coordinated public announcement on how the public should report/address?? Or would that make too much sense?

[bucktalk]

It seems as though it's unwise to spend so much money installing all the streetlights which seldom work. On a recent evening trip from Tulsa -only about 1/2 of the brand new lights on the turnpike were working. Why bother installing things that rarely work?

[TheTravellers]

. . .wonder if it would be possible to get all of the involved entities (OKC City Council, ODOT, OG&E and any others) in the same room at the same time and sort all of this out? Followed up by a coordinated public announcement on how the public should report/address?? Or would that make too much sense?

They did this, a few years ago, OKC City Council and OG&E came up with a plan to coordinate activities, have a one-stop report site where the repairs would be allocated to whoever was responsible behind the scenes, etc. Had parts of the Council meetings dedicated to the status, etc. Then it just went into the sh!tter because neither OG&E nor the city care.

[OkiePoke]

Didn't Mayor Holt put this on his list of things he is focusing on a couple years ago.... Seems like he has failed so far.

[TheTravellers]

Didn't Mayor Holt put this on his list of things he is focusing on a couple years ago.... Seems like he has failed so far.

[bucktalk]

This my sound silly -but the dark, rainy night when zero lights were working -gives a bad feel/image to OKC. How much better it would be to have our city full lit on a dark rainy night. To have the city shrouded in darkness just feels unwelcoming and slightly dangerous.

[mugofbeer]

I just bring this up because I haven't seen anyone mention it, regarding city lights out, if the Mayors office doesn't respond, has anyone contacted their City Council Person? What is that reaction?

[zefferoni]

OKC highway lighting is the responsibility of ODOT though I believe this is also via agreement with OGE, much like the City’s. The City of OKC has basically zero influence on most highway lighting.

That’s one of the biggest issues here; the haziness surrounding who is responsible for what. The public is made responsible for reporting outages, but it’s relatively unclear just what should be reported to whom.

ODOT designs and installs the highway lighting, but OG&E is responsible for maintenance/replacement.

[Scott5114]

If OG&E got fined $10,000 for every burnt-out light they'd get them fixed real quick.

[TheTravellers]

If OG&E got fined $10,000 for every burnt-out light they'd get them fixed real quick.

Exactly, and that's the problem. They're not punished *or* incentivized when fixing a streetlight - it makes them no profit, so they stick that at the bottom of their list because it costs them money, but it's not actually immediately dangerous (as in a live electric wire or faulty transformer, etc.). And I don't know if it would even be legally possible to do something like fine them per streetlight, they seem pretty Teflon-coated...

[Anonymous.]

All of Harvey in downtown is dark. And this is the modern P180 lights. Makes it straight up creepy down there on weekday nights.

[bucktalk]

Many of the streetlights on the Blvd heading west from Western are out. It would seem that that particular stretch of road would be really lit up to highlight entering toward downtown. For the life of me I cannot understand why it appears OG&E or City Hall or whomever is responsible for all the outages can live with such neglect.