During a recent city council meeting, public speaker Erby Foster addressed critical issues regarding freeway street lighting in Austin, emphasizing the urgent need for improved safety measures. Foster, representing District 3, highlighted the ongoing problem of streetlight outages, which he stated could take Austin Energy between 8 to 12 months to repair. He pointed out that the current timeline is unacceptable, especially given the alarming rate of three fatalities per week on dark roadways.

Foster proposed that the committee consider an ordinance mandating that freeway lighting repairs be completed within 30 days. He argued that while residential streetlights are repaired in about three days, the same efficiency is not applied to freeway lighting, which poses significant safety risks. He urged the committee to investigate the reasons behind the slow repair processes and to explore alternative solutions, such as temporary overhead wiring or hiring additional contractors.

In addition to addressing existing outages, Foster called for proactive measures in future projects. He recommended that the committee require enhanced underpass lighting and continuous street lighting on all new Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) projects. He noted that many cities, including Waco, have successfully advocated for better lighting in underpass areas, leading to safer pedestrian environments.

Foster also suggested the installation of lighted street name signs on traffic signal mast arms, a feature already present in neighboring cities. He argued that this would reduce driver confusion and improve overall mobility within the city.

The committee's response to these proposals could significantly impact public safety and the effectiveness of Austin's transportation infrastructure.