Streetlight Maintenance

Ornate streetlight with dark blue sky in the background.

City Light maintains about 85,000 streetlights that provide critical lighting on residential and arterial streets across our service territory. Utility poles and related equipment can pose a risk to safety when contact voltage occurs - which is why we annually test all streetlights and nearby structures for contact voltage. We also regularly upgrade and repair streetlights to ensure neighborhoods are safely lit.

Exterior of Gorge Inn

Arterial & Non-Arterial Streetlights

The City of Seattle’s street lighting system consists of illuminated arterials, business districts, and residential roadways within the public right-of-way.

Pedestrian Light in Right-of-Way

The City of Seattle has some pedestrian lighting which provides lighting for public pathways and gathering areas in the public right-of-way.

Private Streetlights on Private Property

Seattle City Light does not maintain lights on private property — please contact property owner for any maintenance or questions.

Park Streetlight in Seattle Public Parks

The City of Seattle has park lighting which provides lighting for public parks and is managed by Seattle Parks and Recreation.

Streetlight Request Process

Existing Streetlight Maintenance

(Streetlight outages, glare, blinking lights, or lights on during the day, etc.)

Request for New Streetlight or Streetlight Modification

(example, increasing illuminance)
Please review City Light's Department Policy and Procedure

Example of pole tagYour attention to neighborhood safety is much appreciated. To report a streetlight that is out or is malfunctioning (such as blinking on and off constantly or staying on during the day), please collect the following information and then report the issue using our online form or call (206) 684-7056.

  1. Collect the 7-digit pole number and name of the street where the light is located
  2. Identify the home or business address nearest to the pole
  3. Note the issue that you are reporting - out, on all day, on/off issues, LED glare, pole down, etc.
  4. Your name, email and/or phone for follow up and status updates

Check out our streetlight repair tracker to see what work may be happening in your neighborhood. Our crews are hard at work making repairs happen as quickly as possible.

If you have a new issue to report, follow the instructions above.

The Future of Streetlights

City Light is hard at work improving safety on roadways in our service territory - converting inefficient, high-pressure sodium lights to energy-efficient LED lights. LED lights support better visibility for pedestrians, bicyclists and drivers.

Learn more about our Streetlight Modernization Projects.

Other benefits include:

  • Up to 60% lower energy consumption
  • Greater reliability and lower maintenance costs
  • Reduction in greenhouse gas emissions
  • Three to four times greater field life than other lighting options
  • Better light quality that improves safety because of depth of field and peripheral vision

BEFORE

High pressure sodium lights

AFTER

After FED upgrade

City Light

Dawn Lindell, General Manager and CEO
Address: 700 5th Ave, Seattle, WA, 98104
Mailing Address: PO Box 34023, Seattle, WA, 98124-4023
Phone: (206) 684-3000
SCL_ExternalComms@seattle.gov

Seattle City Light was created by the citizens of Seattle in 1902 to provide affordable, reliable, and environmentally responsible electric power to the City of Seattle and neighboring suburbs.