Darkness on the Nickle

By Eric Richardson
Published: Tuesday, January 17, 2006, at 10:42PM

Eric Richardson

DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES — Just an hour or so ago I was standing on the corner of 5th and Main with Town Crier Don Garza and he commented on how the street lights on 5th have been out for a while now. With all the attention being paid to Skid Row right now, how is it possible that the lights in "the nickle" could be allowed to be chronically off?

That entire block of 5th, from Main to Los Angeles, had not a single streetlight operating. Not one. The brightest light in that photo is the hand on the Don't Walk sign.

I don't remember the exact meeting off-hand, but I know this same situation was brought up at something I attended several months ago. A DLANC Transportation & Public Works meeting, perhaps. Regardless, this isn't a new problem.

Standing there on the corner it wasn't especially populated, but there were definitely drugs for sale. Sure, they put in those new cameras, but I bet they work a lot better with a little illumination.

Comments

Dana Gabbard writes:

Have you called 311 and reported them? I have had good luck having broken traffic signals fixed and potholes filled by reporting them.

# on Jan.18.2006 AT 01:27 PM

obeck writes:

From a newspaper article about Bratton on skid row:

"Bratton's plan to salvage Skid Row includes MORE STREET LIGHTS, which he says helped reduce crime in Times Square. Undercover surveillance, more officers and a mental health clinic in the local police station also will help, he says."

# on Jan.18.2006 AT 02:22 PM

Darkness on the Nickle

Comments

Your Comment:

Preview