Salt Lake City begins scaling back streetlight maintenance

SALT LAKE CITY — Streets outside the capital city's downtown core will become noticeably darker in the coming months as streetlight maintenance, including bulb replacement, is scaled back due to budget cuts.

According to a notice on Salt Lake City's Transportation Division website, only street lights in city parks, the Central Business District, special improvement districts and at intersections will be maintained. Lights not in those specified areas will be allowed to fail and remain dark "indefinitely until the budget is restored."

Precipitous declines in sales-tax revenues have led to widespread cuts in city government operations over the past two years, including a $20 million downsizing in the budget approved by the City Council in June.

— Arthur Raymond