Streetlights
The Surprising Ways Cities Work to Clean the Environment
Municipal programs and urban design offer cities multiple, perhaps surprising ways, to clean the environment.
Seeing the Street
A San Francisco-based design studio describes the thought process behind an effort to push outdoor lighting design beyond the lowest common denominator allowed by bureaucracy and status quo thinking.
LEDs, Downward Lights Changing the Night in Chicago
The nighttime illumination of Chicago is almost finished with a complete overhaul of its streetlights, producing a dramatic effect in the nighttime environment of the city.
San Diego Smart City Sensors Causing Controversy
Thousands of streetlight sensors are collecting a trove of data—from traffic counts to humidity levels—and advocacy groups say the city needs to be more transparent about how the data is being used and who has access to it.
How the Lights in Our Cities Became Too Bright
“Why are lighting designers and experts nearly unified in their belief that outdoor lighting in past years has been excessive?”
Study Sheds Light on the Effect of Streetlights on Crime
A study of the neighborhood and streets in the city of Houston finds that streetlights aren't always an effective crime deterrent.
If LEDs Are Bad for Our Health, What Should Cities Do Now?
A report from the American Medical Association says LED lights are bad for our health, inspiring some cities to re-evaluate the technology.
Indianapolis: Where the Streets Have No Lights
The IndyStar shines a light on the city of Indianapolis' neglect of its infrastructure.
Indianapolis Installing New Streetlights for the First Time in 35 Years
Indianapolis officials including Mayor Joe Hogsett gathered this week to celebrate the installation of the city's first new streetlight in 35 years.
Study: Street Lights Don't Reduce Crime
Pacific Standard shares news of a study that debunks a long-held assumption of public safety.
Los Angeles Changes Color
Adam Rogers chronicles Los Angeles' long and intimate relationship with the electric light. The city's recent choice to adopt LED streetlights has transformed a classic nighttime into something new.
The Unexpected Unpleasantness of New York's New LED Street Lights
As New York rolls out its LED streetlights, one resident bemoans the ugly blue glow taking over the city.
Ahead of Schedule: Detroit Wrapping Up Installation of 40,000 LED Streetlights
In perhaps the brightest sign yet of recovery, the Detroit Public Lighting Authority has made incredible progress on a project to install 40,000 LED streetlights around the city's residential neighborhoods.
Intersection Designs that Prioritize Pedestrian Safety
Following the idea that pedestrian safety takes its cues from planners, Rachel Dovey's article on pedestrian safety lists six intersection designs that "actually prioritize pedestrians."
How LEDs Re-Illuminate the Urban Night Sky
Forbes Magazine reflects on the importance and impacts of light-emitting diode (LED) lights as more cities replace their traditional streetlamps with LEDs.
Hacking Traffic Lights with a Laptop
A study by computer scientists from the University of Michigan shows how easy it is to hack and control traffic lights.
Op-Ed: Comprehensive Plan Needed to Replace Dallas' Aging Traffic Lights
An editorial calls for a comprehensive plan to address Dallas' growing need to overhaul its streetlights—80 percent of which are now older than their recommended 25-year life span.
The Dramatic Impact of LED Streetlights on Celluloid
Los Angeles recently completed a comprehensive installation of LED streetlights—and New York City is not far behind. Among the unintended consequences of the new technology? Cities will now look completely different on film.
What Happens When a City Turns Out the Lights?
Strapped for cash, cities across the US have decided to save money by turning off street lights. An investigative series documents the effect of all those darkened lights on crime and economic development in San Diego - home to a $30 million backlog.
'First They Tried to Make Moons': The Fascinating History of Electric Streetlights
When electricity was still in its infancy, municipal leaders turned to "moonlight towers" to provide mass illumination for their cities. Megan Garber explores the "brief and literally shining moment" in the history of electric streetlights.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
City of Edmonds
City of Albany
Harvard GSD Executive Education
UCLA Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
City of Piedmont, CA
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research
