I followed Montville Councilor Chuck Longton’s challenge to review New London LED lights. I covered Montauk Avenue downtown to Glenwood Avenue. I invite you, too. Just awful lights! 

Glaringly bright passing under, stabbing your eyes, followed by dark passages, irritating eyes to adapt pole to pole. It is a surreal, unnatural, depression-inducing experience. I pity the snowplow, police and ambulance drivers who have to traverse these unsafe conditions. Because the polarized lighting aims straight down, depth perception suffers, so it is difficult to see car distances, pedestrians, obstacles, traffic signals and auto indicator lights. Safety will suffer, as will the emotions of residents. 

The state of hopelessness/depression and sordid look these lights create will surely increase crime and disorder. If you’re looking to make your city/town inviting and hospitable, forget it.

These 1,700 lights are costing an estimated $350,000, when Montville now owns existing lights. Councilors there recently passed the Tanko contract. The company is now conducting an audit of the town's light fixtures. After light tours, I invite a referendum.　

James E. Stuhler

Montville