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Resident urges city to proactively monitor streetlights after series of outages near Mayflower Avenue
Summary
A Monrovia resident described recent clusters of streetlight outages, including a January crash he says was connected to two out bulbs, and urged the city to proactively monitor the public lighting network rather than relying on citizen reports and Edison’s outage app.
A resident urged the City Council to prioritize monitoring of Monrovia’s streetlights after a series of outages that he said coincided with a serious pedestrian injury earlier this year.
Tom Dewar described an incident in January when his friend struck an elderly pedestrian near Palm Avenue while driving north on Mayflower; he said he later found two adjacent streetlights out at the same location. Dewar said the lights were repaired only after he contacted Edison’s district manager and the city — a process that took weeks after initial citizen reports.
“I found there was two street lights in a row out on the same side of the street on Mayflower near Palm Avenue, exactly where the accident happened,” Dewar told the council. He said relying on citizens to report outages is not a prudent maintenance strategy and urged the city to use Measure K or other funds to monitor streetlight integrity and follow up promptly.
Dewar said he observed dozens of lights out on a short drive the prior evening and described stretches with multiple consecutive outages. Public Works staff acknowledged Edison is the utility owner for many streetlights and advised they report outages to Edison while also coordinating follow‑up, but Dewar and other residents urged more active city monitoring and faster resolution.
Why it matters: Streetlights are a public‑safety asset; sustained outages near busy corridors and event nights can increase risk to pedestrians and drivers. The resident asked the city to consider more proactive monitoring and follow‑up protocols.
What happens next: City staff said they will continue coordination with Edison and will publicize opportunities to participate in the city’s Safe Streets program. The resident said he intends to participate in the campaign.
