Criminal activity is occurring at night on my street. Can you help me?

The utility companies can sometimes provide lighting for security purposes. This is called dusk-to-dawn or private area lighting. Normally, they are installed only in areas with an above ground electrical distribution system. The fixture is similar to a street light; it is mounted on a wooden utility pole and directed over the homeowner's property. The monthly rental cost is included in the owner's electric bill. Requests for dusk-to-dawn or private area lighting must be made directly to the utility company. The telephone numbers can be found on the Street Lights page.

Requests for street lighting in developed areas of the County are investigated. Depending on the size of the area, it generally takes 30 to 60 days to perform a lighting needs study. If improvements are warranted due to documented safety problems (traffic accidents, pedestrian activity, etc.), the County bears the cost of such installations. Where there is no documented safety problem but street lighting improvements are warranted, the homeowners will be requested to pay the installation or conversion cost; the annual electrical energy and maintenance costs will be borne by the County. Once a lighting project is implemented it generally takes one to two years to complete.

Children should not be encouraged to play in or near the roadway. It is much more appropriate to educate children to respect a moving vehicle and how to be a safe pedestrian. The use of "Children at Play" sign does not provide an added degree of protection as it is originally intended.

This Department's longstanding policy is not to install "Children at Play" signs on County-maintained roadways as they tend to create a false sense of security for both parents and children. Studies have revealed that these signs when posted in residential areas show no evidence of having reduced pedestrian accidents or vehicle speeds. These signs failed to achieve the desired safety benefits.

On the contrary, the use of such signs could be interpreted as an endorsement by the County of the use of streets as play areas, thus creating an even more hazardous condition. Also, Federal and State signing regulations do not allow us to use the "Children at Play" signs since they are not considered as accepted and standard traffic control devices. We are allowed to post signs for schools, playgrounds, parks and other recreational facilities.

Once street lights are installed, they are maintained by the utility companies. As a result, burned-out or damaged street lights should be reported to the utility company serving the area. This is usually the same company serving your home with electricity.

Be prepared to provide specific information: (e.g. in front of ___________; across the street from ____________; wood or metal pole, overhead or below ground service, etc.). The utility companies prefer that residents report street light problems directly to their offices since residents are in a better position to provide necessary information. Most repairs are performed within 72 hours of notifying the utility company. View more information on the Street Lights page.

In order to provide a sound basis for engineering judgment with respect to the need for installing stop signs on all approaches of the roadway, the Department conforms to the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD). This manual, prepared by a national joint committee on municipal, county, and state officials, contains the following conditions or warrants, which should be present before a traffic control device such as a multi-way stop control is warranted.

In new developments, lighting is one of the last features to be installed. Utilities companies wait until the streets and homes are nearly complete before they install the lights. They do this to minimize the possibility of damage to the light fixtures and cables by the heavy construction equipment. Consequently, the actual installation of lights in a new development depends primarily on the utility company's schedule.

Normally streets within townhouse developments are private and maintained by the homeowners association. This responsibility extends to the street lights. Consequently, concerns regarding street lights within townhouse developments should be reported to the homeowners association.

When lighting is requested because of nighttime traffic accidents, we will study the location to see if the area has a history of nighttime collisions; and, if additional traffic controls such as warning signs, reflectors, or street lights appear to be justified, they will be considered. We appreciate such problem locations being reported. There is no cost to the homeowners when lighting is installed to correct a traffic-related problem.

A light directly in front of a home (i.e., on the same side of the street) can usually be shaded. The utility company darkens the house side of the refractor or globe to black out the annoying light. Generally, there is no cost for this service. If the annoying light fixture is across the street it cannot be shaded, as this would prevent the light from illuminating the roadway. Homeowners desiring a shade should call our Roadway Lighting Section at 301-883-5650.

Such problems can be reported to our Roadway Lighting Section at 301-883-5650. The area will be investigated and any branches blocking the light from illuminating the roadway will be trimmed.

Crosswalks are generally installed only at those locations where a significant number of pedestrians cross the street and where there is a potential for conflicts between vehicle and pedestrian movements. We do not and cannot install crosswalks at random locations.

Crosswalks are installed at a point where sight distances to the approaching vehicles can be maximized. As motorists typically do not expect pedestrians to be crossing at non-intersection locations, crosswalks are generally installed at intersections and not at mid-block locations.

It should be noted that crosswalks are intended to indicate to both pedestrians and motorists where pedestrians should cross the roadway, and they are intended to heighten motorists' awareness of a pedestrian crosspoint. Unwarranted and random installation of crosswalks can lead to pedestrians and motorists ignoring them, thus undermining the purpose of installing crosswalks which can lead to a disastrous situation. Also, recent national studies have found that a significant number of people that use a marked crosswalk do so rather blindly. Some pedestrians tend not to pay much attention being on a crosswalk, thinking that the crosswalk should give them the ultimate protection. That is why crosswalks are only installed at locations where they are clearly needed.