During the spring and summer of 2017 Nevada City participated in a PG and E streetlight upgrade and modification program. All PG and E owned streetlights were replaced with LED lights that increased the lighting capacity at intersections and mid-block streetlights. City Engineer Bryan McAlister, said that if any city residents have issues they should report them to his office and his office will contact PG and E.

Listen to Bryan McAlister

Mayor Duane Strawser clarified that some residents had complained about the brightness of the new lights and that he was going to to do a driveby to get a feel for any issues.

Listen to Duane Strawser

Strawser said that lighting has always been an issue with some areas being overlit while others are underlit. McAlister also mentioned that some of the newly annexed areas of the city could benefit from additional lighting. Cost for new poles and lights run between two and three thousand dollars apiece. Cost for shielding or wattage reduction for existing lights runs two hundred dollars per light. According to Strawser, the new lights are ten- fold as bright as the original lights.
Vice Mayor Dave Parker agreed that responding to concerns should be a “complaint-driven” process.

Listen to Dave Parker

According to Strawser, the new lights are a huge improvement.

Listen to Duane Strawser

Strawser also mentioned that according to PG and E a step down on brightness would still be an improvement of five and half times over the original lights.

Complaints stated that residents that are negatively effected by the new lights were not included in the upgrade discussions and therefore should not have to pay for any changes made on their behalf.