If Your Neighborhood is Too Dark at Night, Here’s What Boise Can Do

How does Boise decide where streetlights go? 

In 2019, the City of Boise set an ambitious goal (explained in detail here) to light up as many local residential areas as possible. The city's strategy aimed for a maximum streetlight spacing of 600 feet with a minimum spacing of 300 feet. It also identified locations where streetlights did the most to boost public safety and deter crime. 

In residential areas and urban streets across Boise, streetlights are required at:

• intersections & pedestrian crossings;
• bike path crossings & sharp curves;
• steep inclines & bridge
• steep embankments • dead-end streets;
• as well as cul-de-sacs & roundabouts.

Here's the fine print: the 600-foot maximum criterion technically applies to areas with straighter, more level streets with minimal traffic conflicts and limited bicycle and pedestrian activity. But because spacing standards are more like friendly guidelines than rigid requirements, the city’s pretty flexible when it comes to special requests.  

Can I request a streetlight for my block or neighborhood?

Yes! And the process isn't as difficult as you might imagine. Boise's public lighting system boasts around 10,000 lights! Each year, the city adds an extra 300 lights to the network to keep the City of Trees shining bright around the clock.

These lights are added as developmental prerequisites, as part of the city's annual capital improvement projects, integral components of street upgrades, or at the request of residents.

If your Boise block or neighborhood is too dark at night, changing that starts with a simple phone call to the city's Planning & Development Services department. To begin a request for a new streetlight, contact Tom Marshall at (208) 608-7526 or Jason Taylor at (208) 608-7171.

One more thing! Before you make the call, you might want to check out this pdf explaining the City of Boise's Public Works Streetlight Requirements😉

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