I am a 16-year-old resident of Montclair, New Jersey and participating in The Peace Warrior’s Global Youth Program. As a new driver in our town, I have begun to notice an alarming lack of streetlights on the road. This contributes to a less safe environment in our town past dark. For example, several stretches of Grove Street have limited street lighting.Without sufficient lighting, driving after sunset poses threats for drivers, pedestrians, and wildlife. 

Montclair is a town with significant foot traffic. Obviously the number of pedestrians diminishes in the later hours of the night, however I would still argue that there are a significant number of people walking around the town. Montclair is known for its strong nightlife in the many thriving centers of commerce and entertainment we have to offer. Poor visibility for vehicles results in dangerous and risk-filled situations for pedestrians. We don’t want our residents or our visitors to have reason to believe they are in danger of a traffic accident. If we want to create a walkable, lively town, we must do something about this issue. 

Not only do human Montclair residents roam the streets at night, but so do wildlife. Animals–specifically deer–are very prevalent in our town. Deer often cross roads on their own accord and tend to venture into streets more often at night. Poor visibility creates potential collisions or accidents involving vehicles and animals. With well-lit streets, drivers will be able to see more of their surroundings and have more time to make safe decisions regarding wildlife on the roads. Completely eliminating collisions between wildlife and drivers is difficult, usually requiring a lot of fencing and infrastructure; however, another effective method is increasing visibility for drivers.

Protecting pedestrians and wildlife is very important, but it is also important to remember that increasing the amount of streetlights would significantly increase the safety for the drivers themselves. The likelihood of an accident between cars, pedestrians, and roadside obstacles is significantly higher at night–especially in places with poor lighting. 

In implementing additional lights, Montclair would also do well to use solar-powered streetlights. Not only would this save electrical costs and provide consistent lighting (as they are not connected to the main power grid), but it would also show our town’s commitment to alternative and clean energy.

Thank you for your time and attention to this issue. I hope our shared care for this issue and our greater community is enough to solve the problem.