OBceans Want More Lights and Safer Streets

Residents and denizens of Ocean Beach want more street lights and safer streets – in terms of infrastructure improvements for the community.

The OB Rag ran a weekly poll from December 17th to the 25th and asked readers the following, with an invitation to add their own response, which some did:

What infrastructure improvements does Ocean Beach need most?

Three out of four respondents answered that they want safer and paved streets, and more street lights. 64% replied that they want to see “more lights, safer streets”, and 11% answered that they want the City to “Re-pave streets & add more street lights. It’s too dark and unsafe at night”.  This is a total of 75%.

Another 22% indicated that they’d like to see other types of infrastructure improvements; a new library, or a lifeguard station, and/ or new public restrooms at the center of town. 16% agreed that “OB needs a new library, a new lifeguard station, and new public restrooms at the village center,” with 4% saying a new library only, and with 2% calling for public restrooms only. 1% said they wanted to see the alleys paved. 2% said more “volunteering to keep taxes down”.

A total of exactly 100 respondents voted in the poll, which ran one week.  (There is no way for us editors to know if the respondents lived in Ocean Beach or not.)

The polling results doubtlessly stem from fears of crime on our streets at night. Since August there has been a rash of violent incidents including violence and sexual assaults against women.  Several community meetings were held to address the situation and a Citizens’ Patrol was begun to monitor late nights in the northwest sector of OB.

It is unclear, however, how infrastructure – which includes the physical improvements and structures – can make OB “safer”. Infrastructure includes streets, alleys, street lights, yes, but also public facilities such as libraries, public restrooms, lifeguard stations, etc. One view is this means OBceans want to see more police offices on the streets – but adding cops to the City’s payroll is not exactly an infrastructure improvement per se.

Here is the poll in its entirety:

 What infrastructure improvements does Ocean Beach need most?

• I agree that OB needs a new library, a new lifeguard station, and new public restrooms at the village center.
  16%
• Public restrooms only.
  2%
• New library only.
  4%
• New lifeguard station only
  0%
• Pave the alleys.
  1%
• Re-pave streets & add more street lights. It’s too dark and unsafe at night .¹
  11%
• Volunteering to keep taxes down¹
  2%
• more lights, safer streets¹
  64%

Total Votes: 100 ; Poll ran December 18 to 25, 2012 ^[1 = Added by a guest]