Official website of the
City of Vancouver, Washington

Traffic Safety

Street Lighting

Transportation Services is responsible for the design, construction, operation, maintenance and repair of the City's Street Lighting System. The City's policy is that street lighting is an urban service and as such should be provided , as other services.

Street Lighting is provided to improve roadway safety. Lighting to resolve only security concerns should be provided by the property owner. Street lighting is generally not provided in alleys. Standards for roadway lighting are generated by the Illuminating Engineering Society . The recommended "average luminance level" ranges from 0.3 Candelas per Square Meter for local, residential streets to 1.2 Candelas per Square Meter for Major Arterials in a Commercial area.

The city maintains 5500 street lights. Approximately two thirds of the lights are 100 watt, high pressure sodium lights, most of which can be found in residential areas. Of the other one third, most are 200 watt, high pressure sodium. The lighting on the arterial street system is primarily 200 watt, high pressure sodium. Most of the street lights are mounted at from 20 to 35 feet, typically 30 feet.