Indianapolis officials including Mayor Joe Hogsett gathered this week to celebrate the installation of the city's first new streetlight in 35 years.
"Indianapolis will end a 35-year moratorium on new streetlights by installing 100 lights in areas with high accident and crime rates, and in growing neighborhoods," reports John Russell.
The new streetlights are a response to rising homicide rates in the city and calls by community leaders to make neighborhoods safer. The decision to invest in new streetlights as a public safety measure runs counter to the findings of a recent study published in the Journal of Epidimeology & Community Health, which found that streetlights do not deter crime.
Indianapolis, however, will rely on its own study, by Indianapolis Power & Light Co., to make the decisions about where to install the new traffic lights. The study will consider "crime statistics, population density and existing utility infrastructure…" The answer to the burning trivia question: the streetlight moratorium "was put in place in 1981 under former Mayor Bill Hudnut as a money-saving measure."
FULL STORY: Indianapolis to turn on first new streetlight in 35 years
Indianapolis: Where the Streets Have No Lights
The IndyStar shines a light on the city of Indianapolis' neglect of its infrastructure.
Study: Street Lights Don't Reduce Crime
Pacific Standard shares news of a study that debunks a long-held assumption of public safety.
Report: American Downtowns Safer Than You Think
A Brookings Institution study reveals that crime rates in major cities have risen, but downtown districts account for a negligible part of the growth.
Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly
Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
In Urban Planning, AI Prompting Could be the New Design Thinking
Creativity has long been key to great urban design. What if we see AI as our new creative partner?
Chicago’s Ghost Rails
Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.
Baker Creek Pavilion: Blending Nature and Architecture in Knoxville
Knoxville’s urban wilderness planning initiative unveils the "Baker Creek Pavilion" to increase the city's access to green spaces.
Pedestrian Deaths Drop, Remain Twice as High as in 2009
Fatalities declined by 4 percent in 2024, but the U.S. is still nowhere close to ‘Vision Zero.’
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
planning NEXT
Appalachian Highlands Housing Partners
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
City of Portland
City of Laramie