New streetlights coming to Columbus neighborhoods

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – Because of projects approved this week, some Columbus neighborhoods will see new streetlights.

One of those projects approved by Columbus City Council on Monday will update already existing streetlights while another is in the Kingshill Drive area off Morse Road, where there aren’t any streetlights.

The Columbus Department of Public Utilities said the work on the new lights will likely start sometime this summer.

Driving through the Freeway-Kingshill neighborhood at night, you’ll notice there aren’t any streetlights and a lot of homes with outdoor lights turned on.

“A lot of people, because there’s no streetlights, they leave their lights on all the time,” said Sheri Whistler, a resident of the neighborhood.

She said the neighborhood is pretty safe and that the lights will be a welcome addition.

“A lot of cars have had break-ins, so I definitely think streetlights would help with that,” Whistler said.

According to the Department of Public Utilities, neighborhoods without lights are evaluated for them by looking at factors like pedestrian incidents, vehicle crashes, crime, activity areas, and population density. City Council approved the project this week, approving a little more than $1 million for the work.

“Not only here in Columbus, but nationally, a neighborhood that’s well-lit, you typically see reduced incidents of crime and allows residents to really see what’s happening in their neighborhood,” said Columbus City Councilmember Rob Dorans earlier this week.

Janice Meadows has lived in the neighborhood for 18 years.

“The biggest thing of it is I’m worried about some of the streets getting paved, then I am worried about the streetlights, you know what I’m saying?” she said. “Or speed bumps going on.”

While streetlights aren’t her priority, Meadows is looking forward to the benefits.

“Just more lighting, especially if I do get caught after dark, that's there’s lights that I can see sidewalks that are sometimes uneven or whatever, I can’t say it would be a bad idea,” she said.

The lights in the Kingshill Drive neighborhood will be LED. Those same type of LED lights were also approved for an area in Northwest Columbus on Smoky Row Road from north of Hard Road to near Wimberly Court. This project will replace older lights already there.