STILL NOTHING. It is winter, it is dark - we need the light. Where are our tax dollars at work? Not on the streetlights, apparently.

Still nothing. Leaving this open as a commentary without comment.

Still Nothing. Still waiting...

We have asked UI to close our account supplying power to the poles, but they have been unable to so far. Still waiting. The city says they want to meet with us to discuss alternatives. Also still waiting on that, so this remains open.

Again, we are still waiting for the city to talk to us about the high poles. There has been progress with the street lights - at least UI has determined that they have power - but we are still waiting for the city to put in new bulbs. The high pole lighting situation is still unresolved.

We are still waiting for UI to find the electricity source on the Green. Also waiting for the city to respond about the light poles. We have stopped paying for the electricity.

No news from the city electrician or UI yet. Still open.

Still waiting for news from City electrician's office.

Still waiting. Mayor Harp? Anyone?

I've directed this to the appropriate department. Sometimes these SCF complaints just float around until someone catches it and assigns it to the right department. So very sorry about this.

Thank you - the street lights were finally fixed, but the architectural lights are still dead, and were for years, long after we kept paying UI for the power.

I've resubmitted your complaint. Please keep me updated.

Thank you. I understand. May I ask what is LCI?

Livable City Initiative, I believe. They have their work cut out for them. If they could reduce the number of sirens from fire engines responding to medical calls (most of which are NOT life-threatening emergencies) by 50%, the city would be more livable. Right now it is a plague of unnecessary noise.

I agree. Thanks [LCI]. I will follow-up. Still working on - Removing dead street and Green trees [some progress]; Street Lights [like globes around Green] repaired and working [some progress]; the high poles [no recent progress].

Thank you for updating me on this situation. I will resubmit.

I still have not read anything that could be considered a response to your complaint. I will resubmit this complaint to another department and see how that goes.

Thank you very much. The only response I have gotten was a complaint that the city has only two electricians. This was part of a separate email exchange, if I remember correctly.
Now, if LCI could do something concrete about the ridiculous number of sirens in this city, as fire dept., police, and AMR respond to every medical call, whether emergency or not - THAT would make the city livable again.
Thanks

I'll look into that for you. But, I know we at LCI have no jurisdiction over the Fire Department, AMR, or the Police Department. The decibel level for all these sirens might very well be due to State or Federal regulations. But, I will check and get back to you.

It's not about the decibel level, it's about the frequency and the unnecessary over response. Every single day there are incidents with the homeless and the addicts who basically live on the Green. Many of the incidents are not emergencies, but the Fire Department comes anyhow, with sirens, as does the Police, and the (usually two AMR ambulances.
I have pictures showing eight EMT's standing around while a Police officer talks to someone on a park bench, and so on. Sometimes it is just that someone has thrown up, or "doesn't feel good," and so on... and yet, the dispatchers send it all out as if it is an emergency. The FD come with a huge truck and 4 EMT's, then AMR, then another AMR, then the Police - it is costing the city a LOT of money, and it is a HUGE nuisance to all the people who live and work in New haven, no matter what neighborhood they live in.
This is a quality of life issue, but politics, unions, and money are involved.
This has been opened as a SeeClickFix issue before, but nothing came from it. If LCI has any ideas, they are welcome!

LCI - April 2017 I was told the City Engineer's Office is responsible for this high pole project design moving forward. At that time we were informed a lighting consultant proposal was being reviewed for this. Also we contacted UI [for several street light power issues on Temple Street] for power distribution to these poles, which has been shut off to a meter the churches were paying for over several years.

Wishful Thinking: Avangrid/UI have a business dev. program I hoped could be approached on this project.

The original Shemitz Lighting design research has been provided to the Green, City and churches. Sam and I have a ton of emails on this.

Still waiting for any official response from the city engineer.

The city engineer is very busy. Still an open issue though. Three historic buildings on the Green, and no lighting at night, even though the equipment is there...sad.

Still want it open. The city is passing on an opportunity to light up 3 historic buildings on the Green, to make it very beautiful at night, and add some security by default.

I'm sorry this issue is still open and therefore remains unresolved. I have redirected this issue to another department.

LCI- Fair Haven assigned this issue to City of New Haven Engineering Department

It is my understanding that the service has been disabled by the churches, and that fixing the luminaires on many of the poles requires severe trimming of the elm trees that would very negatively affect their health. We have had informal discussions with at least some of the churches and the proprietors about engaging a lighting designer to provide a concept for lighting the facade of the churches from the churches themselves. LED technology has really changed lighting, and there are many more options on how to do an architecturally flattering lighting project.

Thank you for your response City Engineers Office!

Thank you to the Engineering Dept. for that response.
Just to clarify on behalf of Trinity Church though, we have not disabled any service, we just stopped paying the UI bill, which we paid out monthly, for no lighting, at over $100/month, from the time of Hurricane Sandy to last year. As far as I know, UI could not locate the defective panel that was flooded by the storm, and that led to a stop of the lighting. Electricity was still being drawn, however, and we were still being billed, but the lights were all dark except for one bulb that worked in random cycles for 30 seconds at a time.
Trinity would be very interested in any discussion about LED lighting, either from the existing poles or from the structure itself. There are two fixtures on each pole, I believe, and the upper fixtures, aimed more at the towers than the facade, are not affected by the elms.
Thank you,
Sam Sigg
Trinity Church on the Green

We can’t get to the upper light with a bucket truck without going through the tree canopy below.

We’d love to sit down and talk to Trinity Church about this in more detail. If you’re interested please send me an email (I’m pretty sure you have my contact info, otherwise call us at 203-946-6417)

Thanks!

Thank you - we will be in touch soon.The poles have built in ladders and cables, however, and they can be accessed without a bucket truck, using proper safety equipment and appropriate PPE.
The canopies might need a trim on one of the poles, but not the one on the corner of Temple and Chapel.
Thank you for this proress, and for fixing the streetlights on Temple.
Sam

We are still trying to get a meeting. There is hope. I have called, and will call again. My number is 203-865-3930.
Thanks,
Sam Sigg

Sam, I'm going to redirect this issue to the Engineering Department. Hopefully you've get your meeting soon.

I'm sorry for the typo. "Hopefully, you'll get your meeting soon."

WE have met with the city engineer, Giovanni Zinn, and we are discussing ways to light the church and possibly use the poles.

April 2018 - That's encouraging news!

With the city's budget deficits, I wonder if this issue will ever make it to the engineer's desk again. In the meantime, the poles make nice nests for all the starlings in town.

UI has a grant foundation that working with the city and churches might be approachable. They are looking for community impact projects. They have supported the Arts and Ideas Festival.

Did the meeting ever take place? Have the nests been removed? Is the lighting on at night? Progress? Do we leave this issue open? Please inform.

The meeting took place, but nothing was decided. Nests are still there and are not a problem. Lights are not working and won't be until the city decides to light up the churches, or until the churches agree on lighting themselves. One of the issues for some of the poles is that elm trees do block some of the light that would theoretically come from a few of the poles. Another issue is that UI apparently do not know where the junction box is, the one that failed after flooding by hurricane Sandy...? It seems to be too much for the city to deal with, and there are higher priorities. Still, it is unresolved.
The light would add security and beauty to a not-so-great part of the Green, but mismanagement of city finances probably precludes any real action.

I'm so sorry that this issue is still open. I will try to get some renewed attention to this issue.

Thank you, until then, I leave it open. I see big X marks on some of the streetlight poles - what is that about?

Thank you, LCI - but we still have no light from these poles. Giovanni Zinn was the last person we met with on this issue.

WE heard from Giovanni that the high, curved street poles will all be swapped out for 12 ft poles. We hope the light on the sidewalk and parking will be increased, not decreased.
The big poles? Who knows what will happen. Great nests for the starlings, so far.

Thank you Sam for the updates.

WE are hoping that the light from the new, lower poles will not contribute to light pollution, but will increase light on the ground, where it is needed. WE need more light on the sidewalk in front of the church at night, as we are active until 10 pm many nights, and light on the pathways that cross the upper Green, originating from the active driveway/bus top/sidewalk.
Thanks,
Sam

We still need more light on the street and on the sidewalks at the corner of Temple and Chapel.

Looks like Giovanni was the only person to respond. Great person to get. If there is anyone who can get something done it would be Giovanni. I'll alert him to this conversation thread.

I no longer work downtown, but I think the issue should remain open until there is better lighting on the sidewalks at night all around the Green, and along Temple.

leave open

Leave issue open until resolved and there is better lighting on the sidewalks through the Green, especially on Temple St.

leave open, better light still needed

no comment