Tulsa Set's Aside $25,000 For Installing Requested Street Lights

Carolyn Richards' family has owned a house near Pine and Lewis for more than 60 years, and they've never had a street light in front of it.

"It's so dark, you can't see," said Richards.

All that is about to change as the city has prioritized their street, Atlanta Avenue, as one of 137 to get a brand-new street light.

"Even if we get one, it'll help," said Richards.

The installation is part of a new program by the City of Tulsa.

As part of next year's budget, the city is setting aside $25,000 at first to install unfulfilled street light requests dating back several years.

During the time period when they didn't have the money, Director of Streets and Stormwater Terry Ball and his team, put the requests into a spreadsheet and ranked them on a priority system based on crime, hazards and nearby uses.

"It's sort of an impartial look at it. Basically, the score is what the score is regardless of where you live in town," Ball said during a council committee meeting last week.

Ball said after the city finishes installing lights around schools, which is part of a separate fund and project, they will start on city streets, beginning with Atlanta Avenue.

Richards said she hopes the new light will deter thefts she's seen recently on the street.

If you want a city light on your street and don’t have one, the city said you can request by calling 311.