In the black: Study finds that much of downtown St. Augustine is too dark at night

Oh, the irony.

St. Augustine is known for its annual Nights of Lights celebration, but much of the Old City’s downtown is plunged into darkness after sunset, according to a new analysis.

At the behest of the St. Augustine City Commission, City Manager David Birchim conducted a study on lighting levels over the course of several months.

“The study results revealed a sizable part of the Town Plan Historic District falls within the poor and very poor categories,” Birchim wrote in a summary to be presented at a Monday meeting.

The report analyzed the area bounded by Cordova St., King St., Orange St. and Avenue Menendez, a swathe that currently includes 300 streetlights.

City staffers used special devices to capture a unit of measurement called the lux — the amount of light that falls on a surface at night.

Any area registering at 10 lux or lower is considered poorly lit, according to the report.

The study included pictures of blackened downtown streets that looked about as bright as the Castillo San Marcos latrine circa 1712.

Birchim proposed several short term solutions, including prioritizing additional lighting near crosswalks and placing new bulbs on existing power line poles.

“Long-term improvements include complete roadway projects such as King St. and Cathedral Pl. and continuing to plan for future projects along Cordova St. and Charlotte St.,” he wrote.

The matter will be up for discussion on Monday at the City Commission meeting.

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