Shining stairs: North Delridge light request finally fulfilled

| Delridge | Safety | Utilities | West Seattle news

That Seattle City Light crew was a welcome, and long-awaited, sight in North Delridge today. In addition to sharing that photo, Betsy explains why:

One year ago, we submitted our first report to Seattle City Light asking them to fix the light on the stairwell from High Point down to 26th ave SW. This is a major thoroughfare, with folks walking down from High Point through to the bus at Delridge Way and to the High School. At least twice, a young woman stopped at our house after midnight, too frightened to walk up the stairs to her mom’s house. With dark falling at 4:30 in the afternoon in winter, many young folks heading home from school faced a very long steep slog in pitch darkness.

After one year of complaining and multiple reports lodged, today the nice folks at City Light came out and installed the first of two light poles. We’re somewhat mystified why they installed one of the poles at the bottom of the walkway at the street, when there’s already a streetlight on that exact corner. But we’re grateful for a new streetlight. The other pole is due to be installed soon to light up the rest of the street. These photos may be boring, but we are excited to light up the staircase safely!

Betsy,
North Delridge Neighborhood Council

Mike D. March 30, 2010 (9:40 pm)

Your tenacity paid off! Thanks for making it happen Betsy.

Betsy March 31, 2010 (9:15 am)

I wrote that the other pole will light up the rest of the street, I meant to write, it will light up the rest of the staircase. The employees will have to carry the pole up the staircase by hand, dig the hole by hand, and somehow, install the pole by hand because it is inaccessible to machinery. That, I want to see.