Bend Night Sky Alliance community mapping initiative

The Bend Night Sky Alliance is currently conducting a community mapping initiative to identify and report streetlights that have developed a blue or purple tint due to deteriorating phosphor coatings, which is a known issue affecting certain LED streetlight models. When the phosphor coating inside an LED fixture breaks down, the light shifts from a warm white color toward a harsh blue/purple.

This is significant for two reasons: blue light is substantially more disruptive to human health, wildlife, and the night sky than warmer tones, and these deteriorating fixtures are in violation of Bend’s 2004 lighting ordinance. Volunteers are recording the lamppost numbers of affected lights throughout the city and reporting them to Pacific Power, which is responsible for their maintenance. Because these fixtures are under warranty, they can be replaced at no cost to the city, making this a straightforward and cost-effective opportunity to improve Bend’s lighting quality and bring the affected streetlights back into compliance.

We encourage neighborhood residents to help identify these lights in their area and report them to contact@bendnightsky.org(opens in new tab) so we can ensure every affected fixture gets documented and replaced. Thank you for your help in making Bend a better place!