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Consultant outlines pedestrian-scale lighting options at Somerset kickoff workshop
Summary
Lighting consultant Nick Mesler told Somerset officials and residents that modest, targeted pedestrian lighting and controls can improve safety while limiting light pollution; the team reported initial field measurements, will complete an inventory and return for further measurements in June.
Nick Mesler, a lighting consultant, led a kickoff workshop in Somerset to begin a pedestrian-scale lighting assessment, telling town officials and residents the project will balance safety, community character, environmental impact and cost.
Mesler said the study's immediate purpose is "to build a vocabulary" so town leaders and residents share a common understanding of lighting terms and trade-offs. He emphasized the team's intent to listen: "I'm really here to listen. You all know town of Somerset better than anybody," he said.
Why it matters: Mesler framed pedestrian lighting as serving three practical goals: traffic safety (making pedestrians visible to motorists), personal safety (allowing people to identify "friend or foe") and detecting trip hazards such as uneven sidewalks. He also warned that poorly targeted bright lights can increase contrast and make surrounding areas appear darker, reducing overall visibility.
Key findings and local observations: Mesler reported the project's initial fieldwork showed many sidewalks in Somerset register roughly 1 lux on his photometer, below the Illuminating Engineering Society (IES) RP-8 pedestrian walkway guidance that recommends about 2 lux for neighborhood sidewalk conditions. "Generally speaking if you're not meeting the criteria...we're looking for...two lux," Mesler said. He noted the team will confirm observations once they complete the inventory and a follow-up measurement pass in June.
Technical trade-offs discussed included color temperature, optics and controls. Mesler said LEDs reduce wasted uplight compared with older high-intensity discharge fixtures, but higher color temperatures (more blue light) "scatter in the atmosphere more" and can worsen sky glow. He described BUG (backlight, uplight, glare) ratings and disability glare concerns with unshielded LEDs and urged balancing distribution and uniformity over localized brightness.
Environmental and safety context: Mesler cited research linking artificial light to ecological effects and said light pollution has been increasing; he also cited the team's study data showing pedestrian collisions are trending up at night and that an outsized share occur at dusk. He framed lighting improvements as one of several measures that can reduce risk at high-conflict locations, particularly intersections and near schools.
Design and cost options: The presentation reviewed a range of measures from lower-cost fixes (adding shields, rotating existing fixture optics to backlight sidewalks, or targeted dimming schedules) to higher-cost options (new pedestrian-scale fixtures or selective solar-powered installations). Mesler said rotating existing panels or installing shielding can sometimes be a rapid, low-cost way to improve sidewalk illumination, while noting tree canopy, pole ownership and utility rules affect feasibility.
Ownership and next steps: Attendees and Mesler confirmed that Pepco owns the installed lights in Somerset and that the town paid for installation and a monthly service fee. Mesler said municipalities can sometimes negotiate to buy lights from a utility, but that process can be difficult. He told the group Avari has completed an initial inventory and photometric measurements, will finish the system inventory that weekend, will return for a second round of field measurements in June, and will produce models and recommendations afterward.
The workshop closed with questions from residents about specific intersections (Dorset Avenue between Wisconsin and Warwick was noted as a priority) and a reminder that the consultant welcomes follow-up e-mails and observations from the community. Mesler said the team will provide an illumination model showing gaps and candidate locations for improvements and will follow up with the town after the June fieldwork.
The town did not take formal votes or adopt any measures at the session; the immediate next step is completion of the inventory and a June reassessment followed by modeling and recommendations.
