Detroit to turn off lights in desolated neighborhoods
Copyright 2011 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Posted: 05/25/2012
DETROIT (WXYZ) - Detroit has announced a plan to turn off about half of its lights.
The city’s chief operating officer told Bloomberg.com that the city plans to cut the number of lights in operation in the city to 46,000 from 88,000.
The city will keep the lights on in neighborhoods where it wants folks to live. Lights will be turned off in desolated neighborhoods.
The mayor has said that the city’s population is simply too spread out due to a shrinking number of residents. He has said if the population can be concentrated the city will be able to more efficiently provide services.
The plan to turn off lights in certain neighborhoods would be an incentive towards this and would save the city money.
Right now the city spends more than $20 million a year on public lights.
The 7 Action News Investigators have been following the continuing struggle to maintain those lights. Many are outdated or have been hit by thieves. As many as 40 percent of the city's lights are not in operation right now.
Copyright 2012 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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