The vast majority of Sedona residents attending a Thursday Arizona Department of Transportation workshop on streetlights were not impressed.

ADOT presented posters of many of the plans around the Si Birch Room at the Sedona Public Library.

ADOT Public Involvement Director Teresa Welborn said the workshop was designed to let residents see what the options looked like.

Thursday’s workshop was also a way for ADOT representatives to gather input from residents through questionnaires they handed out. A court reporter was also available.

Welborn said ADOT will take all the comments it receives through Wednesday, Nov. 25, before narrowing the scope.

She said the city of Sedona is a great partner in the project and mentioned the plan is to address the City Council in January with more concrete plans.

She also said ADOT received over 200 letters from residents who support having streetlights on State Route 89A.

Assistant City Manager Alison Zelms said there is no question that the lighting issue has become a heated topic. She added the issue started when the city started looking at safety options after four pedestrians died while crossing the highway and asked ADOT for suggestions.

“It’s a very passionate issue,” Zelms said. “It’s really important for the people.”

Resident John Dibattista said if lights or signs are needed for safety then there should be no question of their importance.

“I like how they are giving us all the options,” he said.

Anke Piprlla carried a sign into the meeting that expressed her concerns about the lights affecting Sedona’s open sky. She said installing traffic lights at problem areas would be a much better alternative.

“The city is not in poor financial shape,” she said. “It’s ADOT that wants to do this.”

She said she will continue to voice her displeasure as ADOT moves forward.

Doug Blackwell, who served on the 89A Safety Panel, says statistics show the lights are not needed. He pointed out that last year there were three injury accidents at night compared to 26 during the day. When looking at all accidents there were 100 in the day and 14 at night.

“It’s clear the problem is during the day,” he said. “We are wasting this money. This is not data. This is statistics.”

Other residents have pointed out that Blackwell’s statistics are misleading. They point to the simple fact that the daytime volume is in fact 20 times greater than at night. This skews the stats in such a way that they are irrelavant. The daytime accidents have less impact on fatalities.

Blackwell contends that the addition of the proposed lights will not have the desired affect of increasing safety int he corridor.

Resident Don Gage said he too is totally opposed to the lighting and added a street light on Andante Drive would be adequate.

“I don’t think we need them,” he said. “The problems are at one intersection.”

Gage also mentioned that part of the problem was a bar that is no longer open.

“I fully support our skies in Sedona,” he said. “They are wrong. It’s being rammed down our throats. We don’t need it. How have they proved we need them?

He said it makes no sense at all to install lights when residents do not want them.

Michael Maresh can be reached at 282-7795, ext. 125 , or e-mail mmaresh@larsonnewspapers.com