Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms announced Wednesday that her administration is installing 10,000 streetlights in areas of the city with high rates of traffic crashes and crime.
The mayor’s “One Atlanta — Light Up the Night” initiative aims to decrease crime by as much as 20 percent in the neighborhoods selected for streetlight expansion, according to a city news release. The work will take place in Southwest Atlanta, which has “a historic underinvestment in streetlights,” according to the city.
“Streetlights are proven to help prevent both crime and traffic crashes. The addition of thousands of lights on our streets will continue our priority to keep our communities safe,” Bottoms said in a released statement.
The initiative comes after Atlanta’s Department of Transportation reviewed the city’s streetlight footprint over the last six months in collaboration with industrial engineering students at the Georgia Institute of Technology, according to the news release. The assessment revealed where additional streetlights are most needed based on crime rates, crash rates and existing lighting coverage.
The mayor’s office also stated the improved visibility supports the city’s efforts to eliminate serious traffic crashes and deaths on Atlanta streets. The Bottoms administration recently announced that efforts to install nearly 1,000 25 mph speed limit signs on more than 300 city streets began in February.
About the Author
