Hoyerswerda
December 20, 2021 7:00 p.m.
Out and about in the deepest darkness
In Hoyerswerdas Alter Berliner Straße the night-time lighting conditions are suboptimal.
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The street lamps shine on the Alte Berliner Strasse on the side without a sidewalk. The other, on the other hand, lies in the deepest darkness. © Photo: Gernot Menzel
Von Mirko Kolodziej
2 Min. Reading time
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Hoyerswerda. The darkest time of the year has come. There are just seven hours and 50 minutes between sunrise and sunset on this Monday. Most people are happy that various Advent lights brighten the time a little everywhere.
Brigitte and Erhard Hoysack from the old town would, however, wish for a little more brightness all year round in a very specific place. What is meant is a pedestrian path near your home. It leads on Alte Berliner Strasse from the intersection with Kolpingstrasse to the intersection with Spremberger Strasse.
When the autumn leaves fell from the trees a few weeks ago and a little more water fell from the sky every now and then, the couple had to take special care here in the evenings again. Strangely enough, the lanterns are on the other side of the street, where there is no sidewalk.
The town hall is well aware of the fact that the lighting conditions in this area are not optimal after dark. “Due to the age of the entire system and the large distances between the masts, the existing street lighting cannot meet the current requirements for new systems,” says city administration spokeswoman Corinna Stumpf. Sufficient illumination can therefore only be achieved by renewing the lighting technology in the street. Corinna Stumpf went on to say that something like this usually only happens in connection with extensive road renovation. “Currently and in the medium term, such measures are not intended in the Alte Berliner Strasse,” said the city hall spokeswoman.
Of course, it reveals something else: The times are over when, for reasons of economy, only every second lantern was lit. But: With a few exceptions, the entire city is dimmed, from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. and from 5 a.m. to 6 a.m. by 30 percent, and between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m. by 55 percent. The town hall does not seem to believe that not doing it on Alte Berliner Straße would be of much use. Because: The 30 percent are so low that you hardly notice them in fact.
For the time being, Brigitte and Erhard Hoysack can only bet on astronomy. Tomorrow, Tuesday, is winter solstice. Already on New Year’s Eve there are seven hours and 55 minutes between sunrise and sunset.
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