Jeff had proposed (and I second): "...a lower, much dimmer, downcast LED version of the solar-powered lights along the Campus Drive path would be great."
This would not be as costly as streetlights, which I don't think anyone wants on the SW path. And they wouldn't interfere with stargazing either. It just seems sensible to me to have illumination on a mixed-use path that gets used in the dark as a path to get places. -India *********************** India Viola UW-Madison Stretton Lab 115 Zoology Research Bldg. 1117 W. Johnson St. Madison, WI 53706 608.262.3336 *********************** "How can we learn from our mistakes if we don't first acknowledge them?" -Anonymous "We exist in the bacterial world, not bacteria in ours" -Stuart Levy ----- Original Message ----- From: Dave Minden <[email protected]> Date: Thursday, October 15, 2009 3:01 pm Subject: RE: [Bikies] Southwest Path- is it too dark at night? To: "'Schimpff, Jeff A - DNR'" <[email protected]>, "'Larry D. Nelson'" <[email protected]>, 'India Rose Viola' <[email protected]>, [email protected] > Ultimately, this boils down to a question of where the lighting should > come > from, and who is responsible. For reasons of light pollution and using > minimum power, it is much more efficient for individuals who use the > path to > be have their own bright, carry-with lighting. I know some will argue > that > they will not, so we should install lamps. But we could have baskets of > lights on the path freely available for such an infinitesimal cost compared > to a whole production of street lamps. It is a pleasure to be able to > pull > off the path, turn off one's light, and see the dark night sky. This can't > be done on most city street or paths. > We all agree lighting is good, the question is how it should happen. > > Dave M > > -----Original Message----- > From: [email protected] > [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Schimpff, Jeff > A - > DNR > Sent: Thursday, October 15, 2009 2:33 PM > To: Larry D. Nelson; 'India Rose Viola'; [email protected] > Subject: Re: [Bikies] Southwest Path- is it too dark at night? > > > I think that a lower, much dimmer, downcast LED version of the solar-powered > lights along the Campus Drive path would be great. There are too many > unlit/unreflectored peds and other cyclists on that very busy path at > night. > Lighting there would be very useful. > > The vegetation is so dense in many places and the homes are far enough > away, > that I feel it would be easy to come up with an unobtrusive lighting system, > possibly one with motion sensor activation that would turn on a bank of > lights between road crossings, to save energy during the late, late hours > when few of us are prowling about. > > Jeff Schimpff > Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Madison, WI > 608-267-7853 > "Bus, Bike, Carpool to Work for Clean Air for Kids" > > -----Original Message----- > From: [email protected] > [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Larry D. Nelson > Sent: Thursday, October 15, 2009 2:21 PM > To: 'India Rose Viola'; [email protected] > Subject: Re: [Bikies] Southwest Path- is it too dark at night? > > During the design of the SW Path, the decision was made not to light the > path (although I recall that we included empty duct beneath the path to > accommodate the wiring.) I rather doubt that the adjoining properties > would > support the installation and investing better lighting - perhaps with > camera? - would be the best course of action. > > -----Original Message----- > From: [email protected] > [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of India Rose Viola > Sent: Thursday, October 15, 2009 1:20 PM > To: [email protected] > Subject: [Bikies] Southwest Path- is it too dark at night? > > Because of a night class that I am taking out at UW Research Park, I have > recently been riding on the Southwest Path between Monroe and Glenway > between 6-10pm and find it startlingly dark. Dark enough that my > standard-issue headlight does not give me enough time to anticipate > obstacles or people in the path. It also makes me feel particularly > isolated and vulnerable on my bike (I am generally a confident night > cyclist). I know that the path is very close to many neighbors' back > yards, > so any added lighting would need to be sensitive to that. As an urban > bike > commuter I really enjoy having the option of riding on a city path at > night > when I need (or want) to get from point A to point B. Is this something > that other people are also concerned about, or should I just invest in > brighter bike lights? > > I am comparing the lightedness of the Southwest Path to area streets and > also to the John Nolan Path and the segment of the Capital City Trail > that > runs behind Atwood Ave along the railroad tracks which are on my > daily/nightly route. I feel much safer on these east-side paths > because of > the amount of light provided at night. > > -India > > *********************** > India Viola > UW-Madison > Stretton Lab > 115 Zoology Research Bldg. > 1117 W. Johnson St. > Madison, WI 53706 > 608.262.3336 > *********************** > > "How can we learn from our mistakes if we don't first acknowledge them?" > -Anonymous > > "We exist in the bacterial world, not bacteria in ours" -Stuart Levy > _______________________________________________ > Bikies mailing list > [email protected] > http://lists.danenet.org/listinfo.cgi/bikies-danenet.org > > _______________________________________________ > Bikies mailing list > [email protected] > http://lists.danenet.org/listinfo.cgi/bikies-danenet.org > _______________________________________________ > Bikies mailing list > [email protected] > http://lists.danenet.org/listinfo.cgi/bikies-danenet.org > _______________________________________________ Bikies mailing list [email protected] http://lists.danenet.org/listinfo.cgi/bikies-danenet.org
