J Magazine Winter 2019

The lack of light and the absence of people
make Downtown a scary, foreboding, isolated
place.
Here’s how I know: I drove, bicycled and
walked in the Central Business District, then
along both riverwalks to survey the lighting
situation Downtown.
Contradictions are all around.
Why don’t vacant lots have street lights? Or
are street lights intended only for businesses
and not for pedestrians?
Isn’t it strange that parking garages are well
lit but the areas around them are not?
And it’s ironic that the areas Downtown with
lots of trees also are some of the darkest because
the trees block street lights. Yes, Downtown
needs shade and more trees but lights need to
be placed so they are not blocked by the limbs.
It’s a waste of energy, too.
Hemming Park is a perfect example. It’s
cool and shaded during the day. Plenty of trees
protect people from sun and rain. But at night,
it’s dark. Some street lights are literally up in the
leaves.
Decorative street lights in the trees along
Forsyth Street near Main Street are nice but
don’t shed much light. But they could if more
powerful lights were used.
The pedestrian walk along the Main Street
bridge is too dark for such a narrow width. Both
pedestrians and bicyclists use it.
The riverwalks are another prime example.
In late September, I bicycled the length of the
Southbank and Northbank Riverwalks and
counted the street lights that were not working.
The Southbank had an unusual electrical
problem that resulted in almost all of the lights
being out. In response, the city set up some
temporary lights powered by generators. Nevertheless,
there were 53 lights that were out. The
area near the Main Street bridge and the School
Board building were especially dark.
The Northbank Riverwalk had 23 lights that
were out. It was noticeable that many lights
didn’t produce enough illumination. Short,
stubby lights near the Haskell building were
more decorative than useful.
In some cases there is just one street light for
an entire block, which creates dark spots.
This is more than a matter of convenience,
it’s a matter of safety. While driving along a
darkened Beaver Street near the First Baptist
campus, I spotted a bicycle rider headed toward
me, riding against traffic. Luckily, I was paying
attention.
Also, it’s annoying to be forced to stop at red
light after red light when there is absolutely no
traffic Downtown. Jacksonville seems to be a
century behind with its traffic light system,
WINTER 2019 | J MAGAZINE 75