BATON ROUGE, La. (BRPROUD) – LSU leaders continue to make campus safety a priority by moving forward with a Lighting Improvement Plan that’s been in the works for more than five years.
According to a Wednesday, May 17 update from the university, construction work aimed at improving lighting across the campus will be accelerated in the next 12-18 months. Efforts will be sped up thanks to state funding and LSU’s investments, officials said.
LSU based its decisions on where to improve lighting after considering multiple factors. For one, they conducted a lighting survey in April 2020. The survey involved the use of a light meter, which is a highly sensitive piece of equipment designed to measure the amount of light either falling on a surface or reflected from a surface. Officials used the meter to collect light-level data across the entire campus. Every second, light levels were read and linked to a GPS log that showed the location of each measurement. This survey information was then analyzed in conjunction with two factors, the LSU Police Department’s data on crime hotspots and input from the student government’s annual Light Walk.
After using the data above to figure out where lighting improvements were necessary, officials planned to carry out the upgrades in three phases, with two additional anticipated projects.
The projects are currently underway. As upgrades are made, temporary lighting has been set up in a number of key areas across campus. These include the Parade Ground and various student parking lots.
Just below is a general overview of the project’s phases.
Phase One
Impacted Area(s): The parking area across from Patrick Taylor Hall, which is known as Touchdown Village, and the Ag/Coliseum parking areas.
Construction Dates: October 3, 2022 – February 10, 2023
Status: Completed
Project Type: State Project
Additional Notes: None
Phase Two
Impacted Area (s): The Law School, Campus Lake, Highland Road, the Quad, and the pedestrian corridors around Coates Hall, the Renewable Natural Resources Building and Sturgis Hall.
Construction Dates: February 27, 2023 – November 4, 2023
Status: In Progress
Project Type: State Project
Additional Notes: Lighting near the Law School and Campus Lake were prioritized. After these areas were upgraded, officials shifted their focus to improving the lighting around Highland Road, the Quad, and the pedestrian corridors around Coates Hall, the Renewable Natural Resources Building and Sturgis Hall.
Phase Three
Impacted Area(s): The pedestrian corridors around the Pentagon Residential Community and the LSU Campus Mounds, areas along North Stadium Road, and parking lots along South Stadium Road and Skip Bertman Drive.
Construction Dates: May 2023 – February 2024.
Status: In Progress
Project Type: State Project
Additional Notes: Bids made on Phase 2 were significantly lower than officials expected. For this reason, a Phase 3 project was added to allow for additional lighting upgrades to be carried out with the assistance of state funding.
Enchanted Forest Lighting Project
Impacted Area(s): The wooded area between the Greek Theater, Pentagon dorms and Kirby Smith parking lot, which is known as the “Enchanted Forest.”
Construction Dates: June 2023 – December 2023
Status: Planning Stages
Project Type: LSU Project
Additional Information: This LSU-funded, LSU-contracted project is expected to be completed with the assistance of approximately $500,000 in Enhancing the Core funds.
Additional Lighting Projects
Impacted Area(s): To Be Determined
Construction Dates: Undetermined
Status: In Progress
Project Type: LSU Project
Additional Information: Remaining funds from Enhancing the Core might be used to ensure all Phase 3 State Project priorities are met. However, if state funding is able to cover the costs associated with Phase 3, then LSU will identify additional lighting priority zones for the remaining Enhancing the Core funds.
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