Streetlight maintenance
The ACT Government owns and is responsible for the maintenance of more than 83,000 lights alongside roads, footpaths and in public parks and other open spaces.
While our streetlight maintenance includes undertaking night patrols to identify faults we also rely on information from the community.
We are also in the process of upgrading streetlights from old compact fluorescent lamps to new LED technology which is safer, more efficient and helping to reduce light pollution.
Reporting streetlight faults
Any information you can provide about a fault or outage can help us fix the problem sooner. If you see a fault report it to Fix My Street or call Access Canberra on 13 22 81.
The most common streetlight faults are issues such as faulty light globes, damage from birds or weather and condensation causing the streetlights to trip and require a reset. These types of faults are usually fixed in 5 business days. Longer term issues are usually from cable faults. These take longer to repair as the location of the fault/s needs to be identified and then necessary approvals obtained to undertake excavation work.
Cable faults can also be complex in nature to repair. Often they will present as a single issue which will be addressed but then subsequent issues will appear in the following weeks or months. This can be due, for example, to moisture moving through the underground cable and causing an issue at another location.
Given the longer term nature of their repair, here is a summary of outstanding cable faults including an update on their status. This is updated every Friday.
Belconnen
Belconnen
- Aranda: Belconnen Way/Haydon Drive intersection - Fault identified. Repair method being finalised.
- Belconnen: Gungahlin Drive - Fault identified. Repair method being finalised.
- Charnwood: Deane Place/Bettington Circuit intersection - Fault identified. Repair method being finalised.
- Flynn: Meikle John Place - Investigating fault.
- Giralang: Bindiri Place/Chuculba Crescent - Investigating fault.
- Hawker: Andado Place - Fault identified. Repair method being finalised.
- Holt: Hardwick Crescent - Fault identified. Repair method being finalised.
- Kaleen: Bingham Circuit - Fault identified. Repair method being finalised.
- Weetangera: Abernethy Street/Darmody Street intersection - Fault identified. Repair method being finalised.
*Work typically includes an underground excavation, installing cable, performing electrical connections and then testing prior to returning power.
Central
Central
- Ainslie: Cowper Street/Tyson Street intersection - Fault identified. Repair method being finalised.
- Ainslie: Foveaux Street/Paterson Street intersection - Investigating fault.
- Ainslie: Hoddle Gardens - Investigating fault.
- Barton: Gipps Street - Investigating fault.
- Campbell: Coral Place - Fault identified. Repair method being finalised.
- City: Alinga Street/Northbourne Avenue intersection - Fault identified. Repair method being finalised.
- City: Allara Street crossing - Fault identified. Repair method being finalised.
- City: London Circuit car park - Fault identified. Repair method being finalised.
- City: Tuggeranong Parkway - Investigating fault.
- Deakin: National Circuit near Canterbury Crescent - Completed.
- Deakin: Stonehaven Crescent/Jervois Street intersection - Fault identified. Repair method being finalised.
- Dickson: Lowrie Street near Moncrieff Street - Investigating fault.
- Griffith: Evans Crescent/Light Street intersection - Fault identified. Repair method being finalised.
- Griffith: Jansz Crescent - Fault identified. Repair method being finalised.
- Jerrabomberra District: Entrance to HMAS Harman Street near Woods Lane - completed.
- Lyneham: Macarthur Avenue/Northbourne Avenue intersection - Investigating fault.
- Lyneham: Northbourne Avenue/Mouat Street intersection - Fault identified. Repair method being finalised.
- Narrabundah: Intersection Matina Street and Wambool Street - Fault identified. Repair method being finalised.
- Narrabundah: Tallara Parkway/Lumeah Street intersection - Investigating fault.
- Reid: Euree Street between Currong Street and Booroondara Street - Investigating fault.
*Work typically includes an underground excavation, installing cable, performing electrical connections and then testing prior to returning power.
Gungahlin
Gungahlin
- Amaroo: Lennard Street opposite Conjola Close - Fault identified. Repair method being finalised.
- Ngunnawal: Bargang Crescent - Fault identified. Repair method being finalised.
*Work typically includes an underground excavation, installing cable, performing electrical connections and then testing prior to returning power.
Woden, Weston Creek and Molonglo
Woden, Weston Creek and Molonglo
- Chifley: Charteris Street near Eggleston Crescent - Investigating fault.
- Curtin: McCulloch Street opposite Morgan Street - Fault identified. Repair method being finalised.
- Denman Prospect: Holborow Avenue - Fault identified. Repair method being finalised.
- Farrer: Spafford Crescent/Marshall Street - Fault identified. Repair method being finalised.
- Fisher: Rosebery Street - Fault identified. Repair method being finalised.
- Garran: Palmer Street/Gaunt Place intersection - Investigating fault.
- Garran: Yamba Drive/Kitchener Street intersection - Investigating fault.
- Holder: Spowers Circuit - Fault identified. Repair method being finalised.
- Hughes: Carrol Street and Coxen Street laneway - Fault identified. Repair method being finalised.
- Lyons: Hindmarsh Drive/Eggleston Crescent intersection - Fault identified. Repair method being finalised.
- Phillip: Easty Street - Fault identified. Repair method being finalised.
- Phillip: Melrose Drive/Brewer Street intersection - Fault identified. Repair method being finalised.
- Torrens: Batchelor Street - Investigating fault.
- Torrens: Batchelor Street near Horrocks Street - Investigating fault.
- Torrens: Batchelor Street near path - Fault identified. Repair method being finalised.
*Work typically includes an underground excavation, installing cable, performing electrical connections and then testing prior to returning power.
Tuggeranong
Tuggeranong
- Chisholm: Baskerville Street/Heagney Crescent intersection - Fault identified. Repair method being finalised.
- Chisholm: May Maxwell Crescent - Fault identified.
- Fadden: Sparkes Close - Fault identified. Repair method being finalised.
- Kambah: Trussel Place/Ragless Circuit intersection - Fault identified. Repair method being finalised.
- Hume: Sheppard Street near Johns Place - Fault identified.
- Isabella Plains: Kadina Crescent - Fault identified. Repair method being finalised.
- Wanniassa: Sulwood Drive - Fault identified.
*Work typically includes an underground excavation, installing cable, performing electrical connections and then testing prior to returning power.
Safety advice
Like electrical devices in your home, streetlights can become a hazard when faulty so please do not touch them. The quicker we are informed about issues the quicker we can arrange to get them fixed.
Streetlight upgrade program
Over the last 6 years we’ve embarked on a program to upgrade streetlights from old compact fluorescent lamps to new LED technology. The new LEDs are:
- More efficient, resulting in lower running costs and energy consumption.
- More directional, meaning less light is lost as light pollution and more light is directed to the subject area.
- Longer lasting, with a life expectancy of up to 20 years compared to the 4-8-year life expectancy of traditional streetlights.
To date we’ve upgraded 62,000 of our 83,000 streetlights to the new LED technology. The remainder will be progressively upgraded over the coming years via our ongoing upgrade program, or as they reach their end of their life (i.e. when they need to be replaced).
Over 26,000 streetlights have also been equipped with a system which can self-diagnose problems and report back if repairs are needed. This technology also allows for dimming of streetlights.
Adaptive lighting
Using this new technology, we have carried out several trials of adaptive lighting over recent years as we further explore this functionality. This includes automatic dimming and motion sensitive lighting.
Being able to control the brightness of streetlights helps us save even more energy and reduce lighting levels for the benefit of nocturnal species that need darkness, while also keeping our streets safe and visible for drivers and pedestrians.
In 2021 motion sensitive streetlighting was trialled in a small cul-de-sac in Throsby. Using sensors, the lights were dimmed when there was no movement detected.
We also have approval to trial motion sensitive lighting on streets adjacent to Mulligans Flat Nature Reserve, with the aim of reducing the impact of light spill on wildlife.
In February 2023 a dimming trial was successfully conducted in the Molonglo Valley on approximately 800 lights in Wright, Coombs and Denman Prospect. This trial aimed to test the impact of reduced streetlighting levels on the Stromlo Observatory.
More recently, we have implemented adaptive lighting on a section of Athllon Drive, between Hindmarsh Drive and Sulwood Drive, with the lights being dimmed between 11pm and 5am.
We are also exploring adaptive lighting on paths. Recent lighting installed in Bowen Park (Barton), Eastlake Parade (Kingston) and in the Dickson shopping precinct include some sensors. This allows for these path lights to dim after short durations of no movement being detected, and even turn off during longer periods of inactivity.
Reducing glare and light spill
Treatments like optical lensing can be retrofitted on LED streetlights to minimise light spill so that the light is only directed where it is required. This helps to improve safety and reduce light pollution.
Glare shields can be installed in areas where there are concerns about light spill. For example, within a 5 km radius of Mount Stromlo and near Canberra Airport.
Streetlight requests
We take into account a wide range of factors when assessing requests for streetlight upgrades. These include supporting public and road safety, encouraging public transport, reducing energy consumption, minimising light pollution as well as adhering to heritage requirements and planning rules.
