DOUGLAS, Ariz. (KGUN) — A Douglas neighborhood that has been plagued by dark streets for years is finally getting the illumination residents have been requesting. The city is installing 14 solar-powered street lights in the Quail Run community after numerous complaints from neighbors and law enforcement about safety concerns.
"This area of the quail run community here in Douglas is very well lit during the day, but at night, not so much. Everything goes dark, and complaints from neighbors, including law enforcement, have the city of Douglas stepping up to make things brighter," I said while reporting from the neighborhood.
The installation project began Tuesday and will continue throughout the month. Each light costs the city $3,500, money that was budgeted as part of a proactive effort to address long-standing safety issues.
"We're trying to get light on each intersection and then mid block. If there's enough distance between the corners to make sure there's some light mid block," said Karl Rockwell, Public Works Director and City Engineer.
Mayor Jose Grijalva said the lighting project addresses safety concerns that have persisted for years, particularly given the neighborhood's proximity to the border.
"We're right next to the border, so there's a lot of border patrol activity here, and that, you know, they drive around if they're chasing somebody, then they can't really see who's out on the street. So that was one of the safety issues," Grijalva said.
The mayor emphasized that improving safety infrastructure is part of the city's broader strategy to attract new residents to the area.
"We're just trying to basically make this as safe as we can, to incentivize people to move out here in this part of town," Grijalva said.
The installation process requires a crew of four to five people to lift each light assembly onto the poles. City officials are asking drivers to exercise caution when traveling through the neighborhood during the installation period.
Rockwell said the project represents the city's commitment to community safety.
"Trying to provide, you know, safety for everybody in the city of Douglas, and they feel that this is a step of not only being safe, but feeling more safe to do," Rockwell said.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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