In an Oct. 27 letter to Department of Design and Construction Commissioner Paul Ochoa and Parks Commissioner Tricia Shimamura, Assembly Member Keith Powers, Council Member Harvey Epstein, State Sen. Brian Kavanagh, Assembly Member Grace Lee and Manhattan Borough President Brad Hoylman-Sigal expressed their support for the proposal.
As we first reported in March 2025, the grassroots Light the Track campaign has been pushing for lighting that would allow runners and other park users to use the facility safely after dark.
In their letter, the elected officials noted that the track lacked lighting even before the ESCR project began, limiting its use and raising safety concerns.
"With construction underway and no plans to address the lack of lighting, we believe the city is missing an opportunity to improve the new track and make it safer for track users and parkgoers," the letter states.
The officials also pointed out that lighting would benefit New Yorkers whose schedules leave them with only early mornings or evenings for recreation. They offered to discuss how their offices could support the project's capital funding needs.
Jason Froimowitz, organizer of the Light the Track campaign, told EVG the letter represents an important step, though securing funding remains the next hurdle.
"Now that we have the elected officials' support, our next step is securing dedicated funding commitments in the annual city and/or state budgets," Froimowitz said. "This letter sets a critical foundation for including lighting in that budgeting process."
Once funding is secured, the Parks Department and Department of Design and Construction would need to issue a change request to incorporate the lighting into the ESCR project.
According to Froimowitz, both agencies have previously expressed support for the proposal, provided funding becomes available.
"We're hopeful this can all come together as a part of the ESCR project," he said. "But depending on timing, we might be looking at a separate capital improvement project."
Work on the northern section of East River Park is expected to wrap up at the end of 2027.
What type of light is being requested for the park?
ReplyDelete"According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, amber, orange, red or warmer-toned LEDs are less harmful for several species because they are less likely to trigger a behavioral response. Warmer colors have longer wavelengths (more than 560 nm) and lower correlated color temperatures (less than 2700 Kelvin).
blue, white or cooler-toned LEDs should be avoided; they are least favorable for birds, other wildlife and people, and contribute more to skyglow. Cooler colors have shorter wavelengths (less than 560 nm) and higher correlated color temperatures (more than 2700 Kelvin). Intensity also matters: light should be as dim as possible, adjusted to local conditions and ambient lighting."
https://avespuertorico.com/en/guides/how-artificial-light-affects-migratory-birds
Why arent lights included in the project? 4:30 pm yesterday the tennis courts became unusable because there are no lights. What is driving the city to limit ise of the public park so early in evenings?
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