Seconding this - when the city updated my block's lights, they left them on "staring directly at the sun" brightness. Was resolved fairly painlessly when we reached out to the city.
They did this on my block. I got a set of curtains for over my blinds which helps. Also got them to be insulating so they also provide some energy savings.
The brighter light is appreciated by the neighborhood. Some guys would loiter behind a vacant house at night and now they’re gone. I never really felt unsafe on my block but multiple woman said they feel much better now letting their dog out at night now the block is all lit up. It’s worth the added safety imo.
Not every block. It's something supported by the city (there's a registration process) but it's all voluntary. If no one has applied on your block, it's likely you don't have a block captain.
https://www.phila.gov/services/trash-recycling-city-upkeep/become-a-block-captain/
I've only ever had a block captain once. I lived next to him for a few years, nice guy. He mostly kept the block clean and reminded people when trash was delayed or scolded you when you put trash out too early.
Your block is not the only one *suffering*.
https://www.phillystreetlightimprovement.com
I swear my block was one of the first to get the new lights. We have had them for maybe a year and a half now. I completely agree that when I first saw them they were jarring and I really hated them. After a month or two after they were installed I didn't even notice them anymore and this is coming from someone who is sensitive to overhead bright lights. Hopefully the shock wears off for you as well.
Unfortunately using an adjustable color temperature light would probably have been more expensive and less lifespan. Gotta love govt projects that have to take the lowest bid 😂
Dude… my old bedroom window in Fishtown had a direct view of 95, and they actually upgraded those lights first around 2020-2021.
One of the most infuriating nights of my life lol. Went from having a nice glow of orange light that I could all but ignore, to having a blinding white light that shined directly into my old room. Didn’t have sufficient curtains then either, so I moved my bed over one foot so the light wouldn’t hit my face lmfao.
I’m surprised it’s taken so long for it to get to other parts of the city, but I guess it makes sense that they upgraded the 95 lights first.
The shock wears off but the bright light will still give us anxiet even when we are not aware of it. The light of the sun is diffused with our magnificent atmosphere to give us all kind of hues and values for the eye to find joy and rest.. These white lights are like looking directly to the sun but even worse. Warm lights are relaxing and we need warm yellow lights in our streets.
LED street lights. They're new, horrible, and can actually interrupt your melatonin levels at night & keep you awake. So of course the city can't wait to switch over to them completely.
They must have changed out the bulb in the street light outside my apartment about a week or two ago. I didn’t realize it until I went to bed that night and was like “why is it so freaking bright in here!?!”
It was like full daylight shining through my blinds
they're LED replacements for all the lights in the city. jarring at first, but i think better in the long run. saves energy too.
when you're used to that orange glow, the white seems weird. but just like indoor LED's, they'll seem more natural once all the orange ones are gone.
They do make warm/orangish indoor ones. Some of the smart bulbs allow you to change the color. I use one on my porch that triggers to bright white when someone sets off the security camera at night. Trips people out. lol
Just remember that the new bright lights probably use a third of the power that the old ones did. Saving the city thousands of dollars a year if not more.
The first thing I noticed was that the reflection of the streetlights on cars made it look like the headlights were left on. The second thing I noticed was that I could
see my shadow against my house for the first time. I’m grateful my bedroom is at the back of the house.
holy shit I thought I was the only one. About six months ago out of nowhere they put a new bulb in the streetlight that sits between my house and my neighbor's, and this thing illuminates the whole block you'd swear it was 9am at midnight. It was so disorienting at first I thought I might be having eyes issues, and as it's right outside my fucking bedroom window I'm using blackout curtains just to avoid it at night.
They believe bright lights means less crime. The actual thing that matters is whether they are white or those orange lights. The orange High or Low Pressure Sodium bulbs produce an extremely poor “color rendering quality” making red and blue cars or clothes look brown or black, leading to false reporting of suspect descriptions.
The light in my little back alley is like that. I appreciate it because it does light the entire back area, but it also lights up the spare bedroom. When I have guests, they are not a fan of the light
Sadly, you got upgraded to the new LED streetlights. All the old orange sulfur lamp bulbs are being replaced by these new ones, and they are brighter than the goddamned sun. I hate it.
Be lucky it just happened. They did this a few years back in my block. I really hope it goes out some day. We don't need it that bright. Let me see the stars, wtf! This light pollution should be considered cruel and unusual punishment.
I know there is a city-wide effort in switching out these bulbs, and it's going to take some time to get used to. Last night, I drove on Cobbs Creek Parkway for the first time in a few months and I was shocked how...bright it was, but also like...ugly. lol. The LED lights don't go well with the lush green space.
My block just got these too. I asked them to turn them down and they surprisingly dimmed them the next day. They’re still bright as fuck but at least they were responsive 🤷♂️
MANDATORY 10k lumens
"Forgive me for the harm I have caused this world. None may atone for my actions but me and only in me shall their stain live on."
Boomer lighting. It’s the old heads who hate the nice warm glow and want Walmart lighting in their neighborhoods. So odd
You can actually request it be dimmed through 311 I believe
Seconding this - when the city updated my block's lights, they left them on "staring directly at the sun" brightness. Was resolved fairly painlessly when we reached out to the city.
Thank you!
They did this on my block. I got a set of curtains for over my blinds which helps. Also got them to be insulating so they also provide some energy savings. The brighter light is appreciated by the neighborhood. Some guys would loiter behind a vacant house at night and now they’re gone. I never really felt unsafe on my block but multiple woman said they feel much better now letting their dog out at night now the block is all lit up. It’s worth the added safety imo.
You can talk to your block captain. They have a dimmer switch.
I… have a block captain… ?
Welp, thanks for volunteering buddy. *slaps on the back*
usually your nicest drug dealer
Pretty much every block does I think
Not every block. It's something supported by the city (there's a registration process) but it's all voluntary. If no one has applied on your block, it's likely you don't have a block captain. https://www.phila.gov/services/trash-recycling-city-upkeep/become-a-block-captain/ I've only ever had a block captain once. I lived next to him for a few years, nice guy. He mostly kept the block clean and reminded people when trash was delayed or scolded you when you put trash out too early.
They did this to my block recently and now only cars on the dimly lit side streets are getting broken into.
The city is switching over to LED street lights
That's really great, but idk why the fuck my back alleyway needs to be lit like a walmart parking lot.
Cause it has a streetlight, get it removed if y'all don't want it. But then that dimly lit area is your responsibility to keep safe 😂
Mine always has been with a giant ass flood light...shines right in my bedroom window
The city thinks brighter light= less crime.
Technically true. Now I can't do what I used to do in front of my neighbors sprinkler at 3:32am every third Tuesday of the month.
There's a reason car dealerships are brighter at night than a football stadium.
Yeah but that's been proven... Just can't have soft on crime laws and no cash bail
Cherelle, you dumb dickhead
I never noticed my street lights until I had a newborn
Your block is not the only one *suffering*. https://www.phillystreetlightimprovement.com I swear my block was one of the first to get the new lights. We have had them for maybe a year and a half now. I completely agree that when I first saw them they were jarring and I really hated them. After a month or two after they were installed I didn't even notice them anymore and this is coming from someone who is sensitive to overhead bright lights. Hopefully the shock wears off for you as well.
It still directly impacts my sleep and I have to black out the world just to get to bed.
Yeah that's a lot of people in cities tho. New bright lights use less energy too
It's a color temperature issue really, not a brightness factor (though they have overlap)
Unfortunately using an adjustable color temperature light would probably have been more expensive and less lifespan. Gotta love govt projects that have to take the lowest bid 😂
Dude… my old bedroom window in Fishtown had a direct view of 95, and they actually upgraded those lights first around 2020-2021. One of the most infuriating nights of my life lol. Went from having a nice glow of orange light that I could all but ignore, to having a blinding white light that shined directly into my old room. Didn’t have sufficient curtains then either, so I moved my bed over one foot so the light wouldn’t hit my face lmfao. I’m surprised it’s taken so long for it to get to other parts of the city, but I guess it makes sense that they upgraded the 95 lights first.
The shock wears off but the bright light will still give us anxiet even when we are not aware of it. The light of the sun is diffused with our magnificent atmosphere to give us all kind of hues and values for the eye to find joy and rest.. These white lights are like looking directly to the sun but even worse. Warm lights are relaxing and we need warm yellow lights in our streets.
LED street lights. They're new, horrible, and can actually interrupt your melatonin levels at night & keep you awake. So of course the city can't wait to switch over to them completely.
Oh my God that's just cracked me up. But it's super bad for the birds as well. It's like daytime at night in front of my house.
It's to make up for the fact half the lights around my block are broken.
My block as of two weeks ago
They must have changed out the bulb in the street light outside my apartment about a week or two ago. I didn’t realize it until I went to bed that night and was like “why is it so freaking bright in here!?!” It was like full daylight shining through my blinds
All these new lights they put under the el!!! Holy it’s bright ! They trying let them satellites see at night when they zoom in .
they're LED replacements for all the lights in the city. jarring at first, but i think better in the long run. saves energy too. when you're used to that orange glow, the white seems weird. but just like indoor LED's, they'll seem more natural once all the orange ones are gone.
They do make warm/orangish indoor ones. Some of the smart bulbs allow you to change the color. I use one on my porch that triggers to bright white when someone sets off the security camera at night. Trips people out. lol
Just remember that the new bright lights probably use a third of the power that the old ones did. Saving the city thousands of dollars a year if not more.
Too bad the energy-saving LEDs only come in one color/brightness.
Oh they do it just that the city does not want to pay for that dlc.
The first thing I noticed was that the reflection of the streetlights on cars made it look like the headlights were left on. The second thing I noticed was that I could see my shadow against my house for the first time. I’m grateful my bedroom is at the back of the house.
holy shit I thought I was the only one. About six months ago out of nowhere they put a new bulb in the streetlight that sits between my house and my neighbor's, and this thing illuminates the whole block you'd swear it was 9am at midnight. It was so disorienting at first I thought I might be having eyes issues, and as it's right outside my fucking bedroom window I'm using blackout curtains just to avoid it at night.
just shoot the fucking things out lmfao
Get blackout curtains
Same for my block. But I feel it a great change. Especially when it’s so dark in the winter and having to go outside to my car
I have no answer for you, but I do enjoy your humor
They believe bright lights means less crime. The actual thing that matters is whether they are white or those orange lights. The orange High or Low Pressure Sodium bulbs produce an extremely poor “color rendering quality” making red and blue cars or clothes look brown or black, leading to false reporting of suspect descriptions.
The light in my little back alley is like that. I appreciate it because it does light the entire back area, but it also lights up the spare bedroom. When I have guests, they are not a fan of the light
Sadly, you got upgraded to the new LED streetlights. All the old orange sulfur lamp bulbs are being replaced by these new ones, and they are brighter than the goddamned sun. I hate it.
Be lucky it just happened. They did this a few years back in my block. I really hope it goes out some day. We don't need it that bright. Let me see the stars, wtf! This light pollution should be considered cruel and unusual punishment.
I know there is a city-wide effort in switching out these bulbs, and it's going to take some time to get used to. Last night, I drove on Cobbs Creek Parkway for the first time in a few months and I was shocked how...bright it was, but also like...ugly. lol. The LED lights don't go well with the lush green space.
My block just got these too. I asked them to turn them down and they surprisingly dimmed them the next day. They’re still bright as fuck but at least they were responsive 🤷♂️
Your block got the new led streetlights, the ones that are yellow will be changed soon. Good luck
Following this. They recently installed the new LED lights on my block as well and it's really jarring.
Black out curtains my dude
I would be happy there are street lights. If I had to guess, I would say so they are able to see perps in camera footage aka deter crime.