CASE STUDY NATIONAL

Seattle, Washington has a unique situation when it comes to addressing lighting in their city. No single department or entity owns and operates street lighting. The main implementer is the Seattle City Light and Seattle Department of Transportation. The City however, recognized its importance and is striving to fund lighting through the general fund in the future. Seattle also sets the light levels and quality requirements that are to be upheld in the right-of-way. The City prioritized lighting placement based on the following criteria

/ Pedestrian demand (based on land uses as generators or attractors of pedestrians);

/ Socio-economic status (with traditionally under-served areas prioritized); and

/ Street segment classification (importance in pedestrian network)

Seattle also decided to engage with their residents and hoped to gather data and information through other processes and plans to get residents and organizations to identify priority areas to focus attention on and so the City can update the Pedestrian Lighting Plan. The plan also recommends a number of design guidelines for the actual lighting design to reduce light pollution; appropriate placement; design of the fixture and its appropriateness in its specific context.

To read the Seattle Department of Transportation’s Pedestrian Lighting Citywide Plan (2012), click here.