Portland Parks & Recreation (PP&R) has completed the removal and replacement of light poles in eight of 11 parks across the city. Work in the final three parks—Mt. Tabor Park, Ladd Circle Park and Lair Hill Park—will be completed by the end of the summer.
The project consists of removing and replacing poles as necessary, as the oldest structures were up to a century old, and installing new LED lights. The new lights are 66 percent more efficient than the bulbs they’re replacing. Additionally, the fixtures will be Dark Sky-friendly and fully shielded to prevent skyward “spill.” Light will be directed toward park pathways, lessening the impact to neighboring homes. The new light poles and fixtures were selected to replicate the previous ones as closely as possible, and the lights will be automatically programmed to remain on from dusk to dawn.
Work at Mt. Tabor Park began in May, following the completion of the required Historic Resources Review. Depending on weather, materials, capacity and other factors, work may continue into July, but every effort will be made to complete the work as quickly as possible. Work is scheduled to begin in June at Lair Hill Park and in August at Ladd Circle Park.
During construction efforts, trucks and equipment may temporarily be on paved park paths; in some cases, the project may completely close off paths during work hours. Park visitors may need to move off the path or take a detour to avoid construction and work obstacles. Temporary park lighting may be installed during the project; in particular, expect Mt. Tabor Park to be darker than usual during construction.
For additional information on the Light Pole Safety project, visit portland.gov/lightproject.
New park light pole. Photo by PP&R.
