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Rancho Bernardo neighborhood upset over bright, flashing streetlight

The Get It Done app has a backlog of 5,000 requests to fix streetlights and an average of 272 days to repair them, with only 11 electricians to do the job.

SAN DIEGO — Graffiti, potholes, and busted streetlights, are all issues you may see around your neighborhood and call the city to fix.

WARNING: The video in this story contains several sequences with imagery and sustained flashing lights that may affect those who are susceptible to photosensitive epilepsy or have other photosensitivities.

Donna Myers shot a video of the streetlight outside her house, that has become an annoyance for the neighborhood.

"All I can think of is a disco ball. But it's so much brighter," said Myers.

CBS 8 went to the Rancho Bernardo neighborhood to investigate, and to see if the intense streetlight is flashing into people’s homes.

We asked residents if they can see the strobe light shining into their homes. 

"All the time! We're not at the age that we enjoy the disco anymore," said Irene, a resident in the Rancho Bernardo neighborhood.

Residents in the area are ages 55 and older.

"That's my home right there and it blinks right in my bedroom window, and it gets a little nauseating,” said Oscar Flagg.

Strobe lights can make you disoriented, nauseous, and can even trigger seizures. For Myers, it's about safety.

"If you're driving in darkness and as you round that curve, all a sudden the flickering of this strobe effect of this streetlight hits you and you lose your field of vision," said Myers.

She called the city but says she was “just getting such a run around."

She tried to post on the city's "Get It Done" app, which takes reports on everything from graffiti to trash to streetlights.

However, she says she received no reply that the city received the report.

CBS 8 helped Myer’s and walked through the app with her to get a case number.

When CBS 8 put in streetlights for the category, an alert message replied that said, "This service is currently impacted. Please allow 261 days."

CBS 8 contacted the city and last month Mayor Gloria and his staff tried to explain why it's taking so long to fix streetlights. That's how bad the problem is.

The Get It Done app has a backlog of 5,000 requests to fix streetlights and an average of 272 days to repair them, with only 11 electricians to do the job.

There are seven open electrician positions that need to be filled. So, the city is prioritizing.

Kirby Brady is the Director of the Performance and Analytics Department for the City of San Diego.

Brady said the city’s priorities are, lights that are close to a school or a park, places with high density or with significant traffic volumes or high rates of crime, and underserved communities are also a priority.

However, these Rancho Bernardo neighbors hope their health and safety will ranks high on the list.

   

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