Although city officials believe it’s a bright idea to bring in lights for increased safety during Halloween weekend, those thoughts will not translate into any permanent lighting changes around town.
After this spring’s Palmerfest, Athens Police Chief Tom Pyle decided to place four portable lighting units along Mill Street during this year’s Halloween block party because of high pedestrian traffic.
The lighting units will be placed on Mill between College and Stewart streets.
Similar to last year, traffic flow on Mill will be solely eastbound, Pyle said, adding that he hopes the lights help keep both pedestrian and vehicular traffic moving.
“I think it’s a good idea that we are adding the lighting,” said Mayor Paul Wiehl. “The weekend is going to be a lot safer.”
The typical street light produces anywhere from 100-200 watts, said Andy Stone, Athens’ director of Engineering and Public Works, adding that the lights being placed for the weekend are 4000-watt construction-grade lights.
In 2010, on-campus sexual-assault reports totaled 12, with six forcible rapes and six forcible fondling cases. Those totals are up from 2009, in which there were eight forcible rapes reported and no forcible fondling.
So far this year, three rape and three sexual-imposition cases have been reported.
Though Wiehl acknowledges lighting is an issue, there are other factors that play into making the city safer for students, residents and visitors no matter the weekend.
“It’s not just the lights but the objectification of women,” Wiehl said. “When alcohol is present, it increases problems.”
Other weekend changes in the works for the Athens City Street Maintenance Department include the addition of two lights on University Estates Road and the extension of an arm on a light of the Columbus Road and Columbus Circle intersection.
sm366909@ohiou.edu
