Streetlight Outages

[Plutonic Panda]

It doesn't help that ODOT's paint markings have the approximate durability of sidewalk chalk. Look around in the daylight sometime and you can find plenty of them that have flaked off the pavement to the point that it's hard to tell there's even supposed to be a marking there. It's worse in areas with recent construction, because they lay down temporary markings and grind them off, leaving rough spots on the pavement that are more noticeable than the actual markings.

Other states avoid this problem by laying down strips of reflective tape instead of using paint.

Isn't OkDOT switching the material they use for that or did imagine that?

[Pete]

It doesn't help that ODOT's paint markings have the approximate durability of sidewalk chalk. Look around in the daylight sometime and you can find plenty of them that have flaked off the pavement to the point that it's hard to tell there's even supposed to be a marking there. It's worse in areas with recent construction, because they lay down temporary markings and grind them off, leaving rough spots on the pavement that are more noticeable than the actual markings.

Other states avoid this problem by laying down strips of reflective tape instead of using paint.

It's not just ODOT... The City of OKC has used the same type of paint, even for the Project 180 construction. There are many places where the markings are almost completely gone just after a few years of being painted.

[baralheia]

I think part of the problem is when they do lay down the thermoplastic marking paint, like with the new lane markers ODOT laid down after repaving part of I-240's service roads, they don't lay it down as thickly as many other states do (I assume in an attempt to save money) which leads to premature wear. Our lane markings are just terrible here because of it. I hate driving in the rain now because it's practically impossible to see the lane markings.

[Pete]

Every single place in the world has painted markings on both concrete and asphalt.

Why does this state and city have such a terrible time with this?

[mugofbeer]

Back to streetlights, for all the emails and phone calls, has anyone noticed any actual repairs being made? I drove I44 and Hefner Pkwy last night and I bet 1/4 of all lights are out. There are lights out here and there but there are patches where a dozen in a row are out. The entire HP/NW Expressway section is dark.

[Pete]

Back to streetlights, for all the emails and phone calls, has anyone noticed any actual repairs being made? I drove I44 and Hefner Pkwy last night and I bet 1/4 of all lights are out. There are lights out here and there but there are patches where a dozen in a row are out. The entire HP/NW Expressway section is dark.

And the broader question is how do things get this unbelievably bad?

And even at this state, it still takes a citizen movement to actually do anything?

Something is very wrong here.

[Anonymous.]

Does anyone with insider info know how OGE is handling this internally? I am sure they went from 'just another boring day @ the office' a month or two ago - to now being flooded with requests left and right from citizens and the city forwarding.

[Bellaboo]

I always thought it was a way of reducing the electric bill. If OG&E would keep up with replacing the lights, you'd think they'd sell more juice.

[LakeEffect]

I always thought it was a way of reducing the electric bill. If OG&E would keep up with replacing the lights, you'd think they'd sell more juice.

Here's a cynical take, and hopefully I'm wrong: OG&E's franchise agreement with the city requires them to maintain the lights, and the city essentially pays for the electricity by reducing the franchise fee, if I understand correctly. Therefore, if OG&E doesn't maintain the lights, but still indicates to the city that the lights exist, they are gaining cash.

[Pete]

Besides the public declaration from both the city and OG&E to fix these lights, there are still a ton of unanswered questions about how this even happened in the first place and why.

[TheTravellers]

Besides the public declaration from both the city and OG&E to fix these lights, there are still a ton of unanswered questions about how this even happened in the first place and why.

Will we ever know? Unless some investigation is done, it'll just be a mystery, and I can guarantee you that OG&E will not keep up with the light checking and maintenance. Not sure who cares enough and has the resources to do the investigation, so it'll probably deteriorate again...

I checked on my light outage report, and apparently the whole head fixture is bad, so they've got a work order to replace it. This light has been out since Feb. 11, and the first time I asked they said it was fixed, so it's taken me 3 contacts with OG&E to get it fixed (and it's still not, so there'll probably be another email in a week). Absolutely pathetic...

[rte66man]

Besides the public declaration from both the city and OG&E to fix these lights, there are still a ton of unanswered questions about how this even happened in the first place and why.

That is the $64,000 question. I cannot believe this situation is a result of anything other than a deliberate decision to do nothing unless a complaint is filed. If filed, then pass the buck for responsibility. This seems to apply whether it is OKC or ODOT.

[Pete]

That is the $64,000 question. I cannot believe this situation is a result of anything other than a deliberate decision to do nothing unless a complaint is filed. If filed, then pass the buck for responsibility. This seems to apply whether it is OKC or ODOT.

And it begs a ton of other questions, such as what else is being handled in this way that isn't as obvious as a streetlight being off?

There are fundamental issues of trust and competence that go beyond what is clearly visible to all.

[TheTravellers]

Yesterday I asked about my streetlight (that's been reported for over a month), and they said the last time they had a status update was 3/2, apparently still waiting on parts to replace the head assembly. They're going to file a timeliness complaint. WTF, really? That's the best you can do? No damn wonder so many lights are out if this is the system they're working with, absolutely completely pathetically incompetent. And we can't do a damn thing about it, we're stuck with this totally crappy decades-old way of doing things that isn't even working right, even when we citizens do what we can...

[catch22]

I'm telling ya, it's in the city's best interest (even though this isn't a City of OKC problem) to take control of this issue and force some changes to be made. I think the city should create a temporary part-time position, whose only job is to drive a truck around at night with a GPS tablet and mark every light that's out within OKC city limits.

[OKCbyTRANSFER]

There was a truck the other day along Airport Road east bound replacing bulbs when I was coming home, they had the section around MacArthur turned on that afternoon

[TheTravellers]

I'm telling ya, it's in the city's best interest (even though this isn't a City of OKC problem) to take control of this issue and force some changes to be made. I think the city should create a temporary part-time position, whose only job is to drive a truck around at night with a GPS tablet and mark every light that's out within OKC city limits.

It would be *so* cheap to implement this idea, and the City would come out looking like a hero, as well as actually improving tangibly how the city looks, fantastic idea! I'm going to pitch this to my councilman, although Zach says they're already kind of doing this with city workers (but I wonder how many city workers give a crap about this and actually report lights that are out, especially since city crews aren't usually out at night except during emergencies, and they're not going to stop to record a streetlight out if they're trying to get a water main fixed).

[baralheia]

Not sure if it's ODOT or OG&E, but someone is working on the center median lights on I-35 just south of SE 15th St today. They've got the northbound inside lane closed and they were busting up part of the center concrete divider right next to a light pole when I drove by this morning. Several other light poles had red flagging tape tied around them too. It will be awesome to see these lights working again.

[catch22]

Not sure if it's ODOT or OG&E, but someone is working on the center median lights on I-35 just south of SE 15th St today. They've got the northbound inside lane closed and they were busting up part of the center concrete divider right next to a light pole when I drove by this morning. Several other light poles had red flagging tape tied around them too. It will be awesome to see these lights working again.

According to this tweet, it is a City of OKC project.

https://twitter.com/okdot/status/974...814109184?s=21

[TheTravellers]

Not sure if it's ODOT or OG&E, but someone is working on the center median lights on I-35 just south of SE 15th St today. They've got the northbound inside lane closed and they were busting up part of the center concrete divider right next to a light pole when I drove by this morning. Several other light poles had red flagging tape tied around them too. It will be awesome to see these lights working again.

Don't get your hopes up, the red tape has been on my dead streetlight for over a month now.

[baralheia]

According to this tweet, it is a City of OKC project.

https://twitter.com/okdot/status/974...814109184?s=21

So the City is paying to repair all of the highway lighting between (basically) I-240 and I-40? Interesting. I didn't realize that this responsibility fell upon the city. In any event, good to know something's being done about it though!

[TheTravellers]

Don't get your hopes up, the red tape has been on my dead streetlight for over a month now.

Saw Urbanized's post about streetlights in the Bricktown thread, which reminded me... They finally came out and fixed the dead one in front of my house, had to trench over to the one on the other side of the median and re-hook it up, apparently, but all 5 (yes, 5) streetlights on my corner are working now.

But I've been wondering, did the reporting die down, and nothing is happening anymore or are people still trying to get them fixed? Sounds like from what Urbanized said, it's not happening nearly as much (or at all) any longer. Anybody think there's any way we can get anywhere close to all the streetlights working again or is it just a lost cause? And by anywhere close, I'm thinking 80% of streetlights functioning would be a good thing (but I don't know what percentage are currently working, I just suspect it's less than 80%).

We're usually not out much after dark in the summer, and if we are, it's normally on the way to/from a concert/club/etc., and don't really have the wherewithal to note dark streetlights, so we haven't reported many. In winter, that might change, since it gets darker earlier and will be more noticeable.

[OKCbyTRANSFER]

Driving S. Western last week, notice a bunch of intersections have street lights out that are on traffic light poles (city responsible). I write it all down, report it to Action Center. Today they come back, "lights have power, no issue". Meaning what? Did you fix the light? Will you forward to OG&E to replace the bulb if needed? Do I need to call OG&E?
Just maddening on this process, after I take time to report. So, I could drive back to see if they are now lit, or reply back for a better response from the city. There has to be a better way.

[TheTravellers]

I submitted a complaint to the OCC. Don't expect much to come of it, but maybe at least they'll tell me what OG&E's legal responsibility is or where to find out who's supposed to fix them, and how long it should take, etc. It's a start, I hope...

[Buffalo Bill]

Interesting read:
http://www.governing.com/topics/fina...es-states.html