JACKSONVILLE, Fla. ā The Washington Heights area along Ken Knight Drive is too dark at night and needs more lighting, according to residents and delivery drivers.
They told News4Jax that when daylight transitions to nightfall, visibility becomes a safety concern.
āI come out every night and I walk my dogs,ā said resident Alice Hartsfield. āTo walk back and forth, you donāt know if youāre going to get hit by a car or if they even see you at all.ā
āI drive past my house all the time because I canāt see,ā said one resident who did not wish to be named. āItās that dark.ā
There are LED street lights present, but the light they give off doesnāt light up the neighborhood.
Ayesha Covington frequently delivers food in the area, but she told News4Jax that when she receives a food delivery order at night, there are times when she has wanted to reassign the delivery.
āItās so dark,ā Covington said. āEven when the lights are on at the residence address, you canāt see. A little fear jumps in my heart because I think someone could be hiding around one of those corners. I have to get out my vehicle. I lock it, but that wonāt protect me.ā
Parents and grandparents believe better lighting could change everything, including the perception that it is unsafe to drive or walk through the community at night.
āWe need these lights for the sake of the kids. They want to go to the candy store and they canāt. A car will hit them,ā said another resident who did not want to be named. āCan someone please put lights out here? Thatās all we ask.ā
News4Jax on Monday reached out to the office of Jacksonville City Councilwoman Brenda Priestly Jackson, who represents the area, to see if thereās something she could do to help improve the lighting, but her office assistant said she was tied up in meetings all day and would not be available for comment until Tuesday.