I have to agree, those lights are the brightest darn lights I have ever seen. I woke several times during the night -- panicked -- because I thought the sun was coming up and that I had overslept. Is there a dome or cover that would soften it a bit?

when bulbs that are too bright are installed the light pollution will affect wildlife as well , often you will hear birds singing all night long , it also messes up one's night vision which can be a traffic hazard ...

Thank you for using Seeclickfix, a work order has been genarated.

Third week since submission. Status please!

These new LED lights are way too bright. The manufacturer, San Jose-based Leotek, was supposed to provide some sort of shade to direct light downward, but apparently didn't do that. City workers made up a shade for the light in my alley, which stopped the harsh light into our yard and windows, but that has deflected the light onto a roof across the alley which has light gray roofing material, and has turned that entire roof into a reflector. Leotek must have an answer to this problem. The city of Davis recently went through a similar controversy over these lights. There must be some type of light diffuser, shield, filter, whatever, to soften and dim these lights. Not arguing against street lights. I just don't want a prison yard atmosphere.

Thanks for reporting! The Public Works Department is working to install approximately 8,000 LED streetlights before December in order to qualify for an extensive PG&E rebate program. Because of this, the Traffic Maintenance section is taking note of any locations where the lights may need adjusting, and will address these locations once all of the streetlights have been installed. Please feel free to follow up with this issue in December, or call the Traffic Maintenance Supervisor at 707-648-4518. Thanks again for using SeeClickFix!

The city didn't get any sort of shields, diffusers, or other devices to soften these harsh glaring lights made by Leotek. If Leotek was supposed to provide shields, get them now. City crews made up one shield in our alley and we appreciate that effort, but it really isn't doing the job adequately. This harsh, bright lighting creates dangerous shadows. You can't look at them without losing your night vision. Don't rush through a flawed installation process. Get an extension so the city still qualifies for rebates, and do the job right the first time. We don't need a prison-yard atmosphere that is created by excessively bright lights.

Hi Courtney-

I think Public Works should be accountable for following up with us not the other way around. This ensures a better customer service experience.

Thank you!

Wow -- I hope that we do not have to wait for you to turn the lights down a wee bit, or soften them somehow! I wake up now -- a half a dozen times a night -- and panic that I somehow overslept because the sky is so bright! And the glare is AWFUL! Further, it doesn't seem to be doing a thing for crime on my street, except for make it easier for them to do transactions! PLEASE soften the lights!

Feel free to call me and we can discuss this issue.
Mike S. 707 648-4319

Hi Mike and Courtney- Please leave this issue open until it's resolved. It hasn't been resolved and we haven't received confirmation that you will follow up on it.

I appreciate that the city would like to save money and be eligible for a rebate and this issue was reported almost 1 month ago and we are still metaphorically in the middle of Morton Field at night.

Please have Tanko Lighting of San Francisco who is providing project management services to oversee the conversion of the remaining streetlights develop a corrective action plan for the mitigation of the light pollution as a result.

I wish the city had consulted with the neighborhood prior to installation. This would have made for a smoother transition for PW.

Hi Mike- Please leave an email address for contact so we don't have to play telephone tag. Thank you!

This issue was recategorized from Street Light to Long Term Project - Maintenance.

Courtney L., Fire Admin assigned this issue to Mike S, Streets section

Alrighty then! A "Glare Shield" is just what the Doctor ordered. Typically, they are adjustable, so the installer can "aim" the light right down to a very small target or area. This is accomplished, again, with the Glare Shield component... Simply put, and that is how I like it, it is normally a piece of thin galvanized or similar steel, held in place with the fixture "lens cover" screws. Thus a shield is installed that the tech. can "aim" the light right down to a single window, or whatever is required / wanted.

Anyone may contact me if they require / wish further explanation at (707) 552-6642... That includes you, Mr Mike S.

Hopefully, I answered everyone's query, but it IS unfortunate, that said shields are still some time away. Thank you for listening and here is hoping for a quick and amicable solution to this problem.

I am VERY confident that The City of Vallejo (Maintenance division / department) will arrive at a timely, correct, and everyone being pleased solution.... Michael

Any advise or

Interested solution Michael. We have diffusers on the lights on Wilson Avenue and they seem to work very well. Glare shield sounds like it might work. I am confident that the VPW will come up with a good solution as well. David

Courtney- Do we have a status update on this issue?

Status Please

Status Please Courtney

Crickets---------------------

more crickets...

Mike- Neighbor Comments:

I hate them even tho they save energy. They don't have to be so white (more natural color would be better). Three of them light up my bedroom......one of them is up on C street!

Also when driving at night, blind sots are created (like after a flash bulb goes off) creating a dangerous driving condition not only for me but for others who have the same concern.

I have been told that the city will put deflectors on them but my sister in east vallejo has been trying for three months to get one in her court......so far no luck........she can read a book in her bedroom because the light is so bright (which also causes her migraines.

Finally, so much for reducing light pollution.....I can no longer see the stars in my backyard, let alone meteor showers.

So there!!!

I HATE THEM. I feel like I'm being interrogated in my own bedroom. Light pollution at its worst.

I am in favor of a softer light but am grateful for the 2 or 3 we have on my block.

I have had to design special covers to put on my bedroom windows because the lights are so bright.

It doesn't seem to do a thing to deter the criminals in our area.

The lights are way too bright, unreasonably bright. I cannot see the stars anymore.

There's one in front of my house, and one in back. I hate them too.

Hi Mike-

These are my comments not neighbors:

It's like being on Morton Field during a night game. Way too bright and the one in our alley shines right into my bedroom despite black out curtains.

The manufacturer must have some solution for removing bulbs or putting a proper cover on the LED bulbs as they are exposed right now.

Have you checked with them?

Mike at COV needs more feedback from the neighbors about the new LED bulbs to proceed. Please post away.

Ok the general consensus is that some people like them though they would prefer a diffuser. I hate how they pixelate the shadows, sometimes I can't tell if it its a branch or an arm!! And I am not pleased with the overall brightness

One problem is that it is a white light and yes it creates some amplified shadows , there might be a coating or a process to adjust the light 'in place with' no new instalation needed , I used to use such coatings on incandesant light bulbs, perhaps there is an out of the box solution .

I have been wondering about this issue for some time. Thank goodness I bought blackout curtains for my bedroom years ago, and that was for the sad old yellow-n-blinky streetlights! The first night these new klieg lights were in, I walked into the bedroom at 11 pm and recoiled in shock--how was it daylight outside?!?? For a second I thought I was dreaming. It's crazy, I can literally do yard work back there by the street light. I do think that when used in alleys the brightness may discourage break-ins a bit, but I totally understand why people dislike these. I am not a fan either. They really ARE too bright for our safety and comfort. It's pretty bizarre...I've never seen anything like this! I have to add, Vallejo doesn't need one more thing to make its streets look ridiculous and tacky. Fix the d*** potholes and put proper diffusers on the street lights! (PG&E will find a way to renege on their deal anyway, come on, this is PG&E we're talking about!)

Mike S....Left you a text notifying you of the comments. Status please.

There is something called "light trespass" that applies to the unwanted and intrusive application of stray lighting to residences. More here:
http://codepublishing.com/ca/calimesa/html/calimesa18/calimesa18120.html

Thanks Robert. Still haven't had a resolution from COV on this issue. I can't believe the manufacturer doesn't have a solution for the very reasons you mention here.

That was ordinance language from another California city/town, of course. The Solano county codes don't specifically mention street-lighting, but only commercial/residential lighting that "must be directed downward and as to not create a nuisance to..." neighbors, motorists, etc.

I don't hate LED lighting. It is a tremendous energy saver. Most street-lighting is used to illuminate empty space in America. Ballasted lamps (mercury, sodium or other forms of arc lamps) cannot be switched on or off quickly. I expect in the future lights will have motion sensors so they switch off when there is no traffic, and light up as traffic approaches.
HOWEVER:
There clearly seems to be an issue with the contractor/manufacturer's ability to provide full cut-off shades for these lamps. It isn't rocket science. They can be fabricated and attached to existing fixtures by virtually any competent mechanical/electrical contractor. Slip-on aluminum or plastic "barn doors" or other full cut-off devices would make installing a snap. "Diffusers" spread the light out even more. If COV has some un-installed specimens of the LED luminaires, they could invite interested contractors to supply them with a sample, or a hundred or so and see how it goes. The unshielded glare from these lamps is a hazard to drivers now, and in the winter, with wet windshields, they can be deadly. You can't see a pedestrian crossing a street when your windscreen is dazzled. Let's get cracking on this, before someone gets killed.

I am still interested in getting a shield or shroud for the light behind my house. The bright LED light shines directly into my bedroom at night. We have neighborhood consent.

How do I do that?

Thanks for reporting! Staff put a shroud around this light the week of 11/9/15.

makes the robbers uncomfortable

Thank you for another great experience with COV public works. The shield works perfectly to deflect the light away from my house and back onto the street.