Numerous streetlights have gone dark along Oceana Boulevard in Virginia Beach.
Sixteen to be exact, according to Dominion Energy.
A reader who lives off Dam Neck Road near Naval Air Station Oceana recently wrote to The Virginian-Pilot’s Glad You Asked initiative, wondering why many of the streetlights have been out along the miles-long stretch.
The boulevard is “dangerously dark,” she wrote.
Bonita Harris, media and community relations manager for Dominion Energy, said as of Monday there had only been reports of two streetlights out along Oceana.
When a crew was sent back out to the area Monday night, they discovered the real number was 16.
“We have assigned an underground crew to make those repairs,” Harris said. “We are committed to having (the streetlights) all on when they are supposed to be — all across our service territory. When they aren’t we appreciate our customers letting us know so we can make the repairs as quickly and safely as possible.”
Harris said anyone can contact Dominion directly for public streetlight repairs at 866-366-4357.
It was not immediately clear whether the streetlights were turned off by workers and never turned back on, or if the lights have simply been malfunctioning.
The reader also shared a concern for safety in the approximately three weeks she said the lights have been out. She said there was “evidence of numerous accidents,” with damage to guardrails and car parts strewn about.
Public Affairs Officer Linda Kuehn with the Virginia Beach Police Department said 21 accidents have been reported on Oceana Boulevard in the past 30 days. Of those, two occurred at night.
She did not know whether low visibility or the absence of working streetlights was a cause in either crash.
Nia Tariq, nia.tariq@pilotonline.com
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