6/12/2012: B1:PC: Santa Rosa city worker Nathan Moore replaces a light fixture at West Steele Lane and Marlow Road with a more efficient induction lamp replacing the high-pressure sodium lamp, June 11, 2012.

Letter of the Day: Dark and dangerous

Dark and dangerous

EDITOR: I read that Santa Rosa had settled a lawsuit over the death of a pedestrian in a darkened crosswalk in 2009. The next day I read that a pedestrian who was struck early Monday morning had died of his injuries — the ninth pedestrian death in Santa Rosa since January 2011.

The attitude toward most of these deaths seems to be "Oh well, they were drunks," or "Oh well, they were homeless." No. Many of these deaths are directly due to the fact that the busiest streets of Santa Rosa are too dark at night. As I drive through the city at night, I am often caught by surprise by a pedestrian who was invisible until caught in my headlights. Crosswalk markings are useless if drivers cannot see the people using them.

It is appalling that this city would choose to save money by turning out street lights, ignoring the very real increase in risk to the lives of its citizens. It is scary enough to drive in Santa Rosa at night. But it is downright dangerous to walk.

MARY TENWINKEL

Santa Rosa

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