Are Winnipeg's streets too dark, too bright, or just right? City councillor wants to know

A city councillor wants to know if Winnipeggers are paying too much to light thestreets.

Brian Mayeswants city staff to study how Winnipeg stacks up against other Canadian cities when it comes to street lighting.

"Some people say we have too much [lighting]. Some say, 'you're crazy, we've got too little, you need to be adding more,'" Mayessaid.

Street lighting costs the city about $13 million annually, but that hasn't been reviewed inalong time, he said.

"It's over oneper cent of our budget," he said. "Yet we just sort of treat it as [Manitoba] Hydro hands us this invoice, and we pay it."

After issues like roads and sewers, street lighting is usually fairly high on the list of citizens' priorities, he said.

"When you put a new light in a back lane, people do call you. It matters to people." he said.

Mayes said he wants thestudy tobe broad and won't focus on specific lighting concerns in certain neighbourhoods.

The standing policy committee on public works voted in favour of Mayes's motion on Tuesday. The city's public works department also endorsed the idea, saying it was a chance to provide greater transparency to the public about how and why streets are lit the way they are.

Winnipeg currently follows lighting guidelines developed by the Transportation Association of Canada.

"All municipalities have to adhere to the same standards," said Bruce Owen, aspokesperson for Manitoba Hydro. "Thenumber one point of these national standards is public safety."

Owensaidfeesfor street lighting areset by the ManitobaPublic UtilitiesBoard.

He said Hydro would welcome a study and would like to participate:"perhaps it'll put some fresh eyes on thisand make it better."

Winnipeg lit mostly by LEDs

Owen said Hydrois also in the fourth year of a five year planto switch all street lights in the province to new LEDs, which are more energy efficient and provide better light.

Most of Winnipeghas the new bulbs now, he said.

Mayes wants to know whether those new bulbs could mean a cheaper electricity bill for the city.

"You kind of wonder, should this [bill] be going down, as we go to the LED lights?" Mayessaid.

Mayes said he wants the study done as city council heads into the planning for a multi-year budget. The city's public service has 180 days to report back with its review.