Burlington Reporter

Some Burlington residents are seeing things in a new light. Apparently, the laminate is peeling off of some city streetlights, meaning people near the affected areas are seeing the true color of the light, which is purple.

“It’s a manufacturing defect that has occurred,” Hank Henning of Duke Energy told the Burlington City Council, according to The Alamance News. “Essentially, the true color of the light is purple, and the laminate is peeling off of the lights.” 

There is a simple fix to get things back to normal, and Henning said Duke Energy does just that when a defective light’s location is reported. That can be done online, through Duke Energy’s website. Once a location is reported, it takes about three working days for the light to be repaired, The Alamance News said.

While that answer resolved one concern about streetlights, the council turned its attention to the matter of streetlight enhancements in the downtown business district. Brian Tennant, Burlington’s transportation engineering and operations manager, said that as the city’s homeless population grows, concerns have been raised about inadequate lighting downtown.

The solutions for that range from making minor adjustments to the existing infrastructure to a more costly overhaul of the lighting system, Nolan Kirkman, assistant city manager for development services, explained. He urged the council to opt for the less expensive adjustments.

"Overall, it’s not that bad,” he told the council, referring to the level of the problem.

Mayor Jim Butler said the main goal is “to figure out a way to make people feel safe,” according to The Alamance News.