DETROIT (WXYZ) — Detroit Mayor Mary Sheffield and the city's Public Lighting Authority lit up Rossini Drive Wednesday night, marking the start of a $1 million effort to install 3,000 new mid-block streetlights across the east side.
Watch Megan Lee's video report below:
The stretch of Rossini Drive had long been a dark spot in the neighborhood.
"Now when I come home, its well-lit, makes me feel a lot safer and it's just wonderful," Cynthia Loggins said.
Sheffield announced the $1 million investment in March, and crews are now actively installing the first of the 3,000 planned mid-block lights.
"We know that well lit blocks are safe blocks," Sheffield said.
Watch our coverage from March below:
Thomas Shaw, who lives on the street, said the darkness had been a long-standing problem.
"At nighttime, it be dark over here," Shaw said.
Shaw said he welcomed the change and remembered when mid-block lights were once a fixture in the neighborhood.
"This is a good thing because we actually had them back in the day and I don't know what happened," Shaw said.
He also pointed to the broader sense of security the lights provide.
"Without the streetlights, like you said, you don't know what's around," Shaw said.
Ken Daniels, who lives just across Gratiot Avenue on the east side, has had mid-block lights on his street for years and said he understands their value.
"We have them on my block. We have them two lights in the middle of the block and we love it, plus there's a ShotSpotter on it as well," Daniels said.
Daniels said the project reflects the right priorities for the city.
"She's trying to make the city safer," Daniels said.
He added that dark streets create real concerns for residents.
"If it's dark, you don't know who's lurking around. It's just safer to have those streetlights. I think it's a good investment," Daniels said.
Daniels said the lights should extend well beyond a single block or neighborhood.
"It shouldn't just be on the corners. People live throughout the block," Daniels said.
The city said it hopes to have a majority of the mid-block lights installed by the end of October.
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