Streetlight installations are governed by adopted standards and are applied consistently citywide. The City does not install additional streetlights outside ordinance criteria.

Traffic Safety Lighting is based on engineering standards and City ordinances, not crime statistics. Lighting intended specifically for crime deterrence would require separate policy direction, adopted technical standards, and a dedicated funding source.

No. Streetlights installed between intersections, commonly referred to as mid‑block streetlights, are considered security lighting rather than traffic safety lighting.

The City:

• Does not have adopted standards defining security lighting,
• Does not evaluate “dark spots” for crime deterrence, and
• Does not have a funding or maintenance program for mid‑block streetlight installations.

For these reasons, mid‑block streetlight requests are not evaluated or approved by the Traffic Safety Division.

Yes. The City conducts an annual, citywide streetlight inspection (“sweep”) to identify outages, damaged fixtures, or operational issues across the entire system.

Due to the size of the City’s streetlight inventory and available resources, this process takes several months to complete each year. Identified issues are coordinated with the electric utility provider for repair.

Additional inspections may also occur as part of routine field operations or when outages are reported.

Yes. The City of Laredo completed a citywide LED streetlight retrofit project in coordination with AEP Texas.

This initiative replaced older streetlight fixtures with energy‑efficient LED technology, improving:

• Visibility and uniformity,
• Reliability,
• Energy efficiency, and
• Long‑term system performance.

This project allows the City to maintain consistent lighting levels in accordance with adopted standards while reducing operational and maintenance costs.

When a streetlight concern is reported, the Traffic Safety Division will:

1. Verify that existing streetlight spacing complies with ordinance requirements, and
2. Confirm that existing streetlights are operational.

If street lighting meets City standards and fixtures are functioning properly, the location is considered compliant.

Streetlight outages should be reported directly to the electric utility provider:

AEP Texas – Streetlight Outage Reporting
https://www.aeptexas.com/outages/problem/streetlight
Customer Service: 1‑877‑373‑4858

Reporting outages helps ensure timely repair.

The City of Laredo Traffic Safety Division manages Traffic Safety Lighting, which is designed to support roadway safety and pedestrian visibility. Street lighting is installed and maintained in accordance with the City’s Subdivision Ordinance and Land Development Code.

Traffic Safety Lighting is intended to provide consistent, uniform illumination at locations where vehicles and pedestrians are most likely to interact.

Streetlights are installed at:

• Intersections (signalized and unsignalized),
• Dead‑end roadways,
• Cul‑de‑sacs, and
• Approximately 300‑foot spacing, where required by ordinance.

These locations are selected to support safe nighttime travel and pedestrian crossings within a typical grid‑style street network.

Lighting conditions may vary based on:

• Street classification,
• Intersection density, and
• The standards in effect at the time the area was developed.

All streetlights, however, are required to meet City standards applicable to their location and roadway type.