Ward 4 residents have been left in darkness after streetlights failed across Akron neighborhoods. Councilmember Jan Davis, a longtime advocate for public safety, wrote a letter to city officials and fellow council members demanding an actionable plan to restore illumination.
Letter calls for committee action and a timeline
In the letter, Davis asked the Public Service, Public Utilities and Green Committee – chaired by Ward 7 Councilmember Donnie Kammer with Vice‑Chair Ward 6’s Brad McKitrick – to take an active role in coordinating repairs. She also requested that the City of Akron administration work with FirstEnergy’s Ohio Edison to establish a concrete timeline for fixing outages.
“We’re moving too slow here,” Davis said. “When it comes to people’s safety, then you have to move expeditiously.” Both Kammer and McKitrick agreed that streetlight outages are a persistent problem, with some residents reporting issues for more than a year.
Neighborhood meeting scheduled
A public meeting on the issue will be held Tuesday, Oct. 20 at 5:30 p.m. in Canyon Trail Park, located in the Merriman Hills neighborhood. Ward 1 Councilmember Fran Wilson and the Canyon Trail Park Collective are organizing the gathering, which will bring together neighbors, the City Service Department, and FirstEnergy representatives. Attendees are encouraged to bring a lawn chair and a notebook.
City’s current lighting situation
Most of Akron’s streetlights are owned and maintained by Ohio Edison, a FirstEnergy subsidiary. The utility provides a lower‑than‑average electric rate for streetlights through the Efficiency Safety Incentive Program (ESIP). However, the city’s utilities coordinator, Joe Kunzler, explained that outages stem from a variety of causes, including aging fixtures and higher maintenance costs.
Akron has begun converting lights to LED technology, which uses roughly 40 percent less energy and requires less maintenance over time. Yet only about 10 percent of the city’s streetlights have been upgraded, primarily in historic business districts and along major road projects such as Main Street between Cedar and Perkins, East Exchange near the University of Akron, and Romig Road.
City officials warned that a full LED conversion would raise Akron’s annual energy costs by more than $800,000, even though LEDs ultimately save money on electricity and upkeep. The lower ESIP rate would not apply if the city switched entirely to LED fixtures.
No citywide LED timeline yet
At present, Akron has not set a citywide schedule for completing the LED transition. Repairs for lights owned by Ohio Edison are made on a complaint‑by‑complaint basis, which can leave some neighborhoods in prolonged darkness.
Davis also copied City Council President Margo Somerville, Mayor Shammas Malik, Public Service Director Chris Ludle, and Director of Neighborhood Assistance Eufrancia Lash on her email. While Ludle was unavailable for comment at the time of reporting, the outreach underscores the council’s commitment to addressing the issue promptly.
How residents can report outages
Residents can report streetlight problems by calling 330‑375‑2311 Monday through Friday, or by using the 311 online submission form at AkronOhio.gov/3111‑888‑LIGHTSS (1‑888‑544‑4877). Callers should say “streetlight” after the automated greeting and be prepared to provide the location and description of the outage.
By rallying community voices and pressing city officials for a clear repair schedule, Councilmember Davis hopes to bring light back to Akron’s streets and ensure neighborhoods remain safe after dark.
Original reporting: Signal Akron — read the source article.
