NATIONAL CITY, Calif. (KGTV) — Some residents in one of San Diego County’s oldest cities say dark streets are becoming an everyday safety issue.
Neighbors along Newell Street and near Las Palmas Park told ABC 10News they are dealing with multiple streetlights that have stopped working — leaving large sections of the neighborhood poorly lit at night.
“When the sun goes down, and the streetlights don’t come on, our concerns go up,” Sean Sampsell, a local resident said.
Sean Sampsell, who has lived in National City his entire life, says the lack of lighting affects how he gets around.
“I avoid biking at night as much as I can,” Sampsell said. “As both a cyclist and a driver, I’ve noticed that there are a lot of lights that are out. It’s completely dark in most areas.”
Sampsell says the issue doesn’t appear to be improving.
“The streetlight issue is not surprising to me. We have a lot of issues that aren’t fixed,” he said, adding that nearby communities such as La Jolla are noticeably better lit.
Several neighbors have reported broken streetlights through the city’s “National City Connect” reporting system, also known as See Click Fix. A map of reports shows multiple lighting complaints dating back to last year — many of which are still listed as active.
In a statement to ABC 10News, the City of National City said residents are encouraged to report non-emergency issues through National City Connect so requests can be routed to the appropriate departments.
The city said once a report is reviewed, staff determine who owns and maintains the light before submitting work orders. The city added it recently began inspecting streetlights along all public roadways on a quarterly basis.
However, the city says most streetlights — especially in residential neighborhoods — are owned and maintained by San Diego Gas & Electric, also known as SDG&E. Lead times for repairs can range from a few weeks to several months, depending on backlogs and parts availability.
In its own statement to ABC 10News, SDG&E said safety is a top priority and that several streetlights in National City were replaced in January. The company says it is currently evaluating and upgrading remaining SDG&E-owned lights with more reliable LED fixtures, with work expected to be completed this month unless additional repairs are needed.
National City Mayor Ron Morrison tells ABC 10News he is scheduled to meet with SDG&E next week to discuss a timeline for repairs and next steps.
Sampsell says he hopes the attention will lead to quicker fixes.
“I do think the mayor is on top of things when an issue is brought to his attention,” he said. “He tries to act as quickly as possible.”
