New Lighting Coming to Portland Parks: Final Phase of Light Pole Safety Project Begins in October at Colonel Summers Park

(Portland, OR) – Portland Parks & Recreation (PP&R) will begin replacing dozens of light poles across 11 city parks this month, starting with Colonel Summers Park at SE 17th Avenue and Taylor Street. The entire project is expected to be completed in the spring of 2024.

Construction schedules are heavily dependent on weather and the availability of materials, but PP&R expects to add 13 new poles to Colonel Summers Park within the coming weeks.

The project to remove and replace poles is necessary as the poles, some of which are up to a century old, have faulty structural anchoring issues that make them unsafe for public use.

Portland Parks & Recreation also established a partnership with Portland General Electric to install area lighting at other parks throughout the city, including Lents Park, segments of the Springwater Corridor, Peninsula Crossing Trail, and Clinton Park, among others. These are small and simple improvements using existing power poles in and around parks to cost-effectively add illumination in Portland’s parks.

Environmentally friendly with an eye on the skies

The new LED lights are 66% more efficient than the ones they’re replacing, and the bulbs will last longer. The fixtures will be Dark Sky-friendly and will be fully shielded to prevent skyward “spill.” They will be directed at park pathways with less light pointed at neighboring homes. The new light poles and fixtures were selected to replicate the previous ones as closely as possible, and the lights will be automatically programmed to remain on from dusk to dawn.

Some parks will have additional lights installed to enhance brightness and visibility. Meanwhile, in other parks, fewer lights will be required because the new ones offer better coverage than the ones that were removed.

What to expect

During construction efforts, trucks and equipment may temporarily be on paved park paths. Park visitors may need to veer off the path to avoid construction work and obstacles.

PP&R is working with the Office of Community and Civic Life to share information with affected neighborhoods and will update the project schedule as circumstances warrant.

Current tentative project schedule in order: