A recent survey conducted by the French Quarter Management District found that more than one-third of the streetlights in the French Quarter are damaged and many more don’t function at all.
The survey was conducted by the FQMD’s Livability Committee and serves as a replacement for the last streetlight survey in 2014.
The survey — conducted between February and September 2022, and released last month — shows that 307 French Quarter streetlights, or 36%, are damaged and/or have limited functionality, while 185 lights, or 21%, are non-functional.
Additionally, 287 of the streetlights, or 33%, either have missing electrical wiring covers, wires exposed or damaged, and have base plate covers replaced with an incompatible part, according to the survey.
Decatur Street had the most non-functional lights. Of the 82 lights surveyed, 20 were listed as non-functional, in addition to 39 that needed their covers replaced, according to the survey.
The survey listed both Bourbon and Royal streets with the most streetlights, at 47 each, with their photovoltaic sensors or lenses damaged or needed cleaning.
Dorsiere and Saint Philip streets, and Esplanade Avenue, did not have any streetlights that were damaged or needed cleaning, according to the survey.
Additionally, the survey showed all of the streetlights on North Peters and Clinton streets were functional, according to the survey, although four and three lights needed their covers repaired or replaced, respectively.
The survey is designed to be conducted in three phases and assesses the conditions of streetlight equipment during daylight hours, the functionality of streetlights after dark and assessed the ambient lighting while the lights were on.
Phases one and two of the walking survey were completed and assessed approximately 90% of the French Quarter. Phase three of the survey will assess the lighting conditions after midnight.
The entire 9-page report can be read at fqmd.org.