One of the Chetco Avenue lights in question is decorated with ribbon in December. The Pilot/Steve Kadel

A puzzling case of on-and-off-again streetlights has been illuminated for city officials.

Some local residents said they have noticed as many as seven lights along Brookings’ Chetco Avenue being off at the same time some nights. Their comments came Wednesday during a meeting of the city’s Traffic Safety Committee.

Mary Rowe told committee members she is concerned about the safety of pedestrians, particularly where lights do not shine above crosswalks.

 "They are an absolute necessity for safety,” Rowe said.

Brookings Police Lt. Donny Dotson, a member of the committee, said police have gotten calls from other citizens about the problem.

He said he’s driven Chetco Avenue and observed that some streetlights are on or off on different nights with no apparent pattern evident.

Public Works Department Supervisor Richard Christensen noted that Coos Curry Electric Cooperative (CCEC) is responsible for maintaining the lights on Chetco Avenue.

“Ultimately, it’s up to Coos Curry to do something,” committee member and Brookings Fire Chief Bill Sharp agreed.

Sharp said city staff will be asked to contact CCEC personnel to find a solution.

Christine Stallard, marketing and membership manager for CCEC, acknowledged it is the cooperative’s responsibility to maintain the lights.  She said anyone who wants to report a streetlight outage should call the CCEC office in Port Orford at 541-332-3931 and a crew will be sent to make repairs.

Stallard emphasized it’s important for those who call to give the light’s exact location because crews work in the daytime when lights won’t be shining.

Another safety precaution – an additional crosswalk near the intersection of  Railroad and Wharf streets – was requested by Don Vilelle, who is a member of the city Parks and Recreation Commission.

“With Bi-Mart going in, I think there will be more people walking in that area,” he said.

The new Bi-Mart store is unofficially scheduled to open in late March and the company will begin hiring employees soon.

Brookings Public Works Director Loree Pryce suggested the city wait to possibly install a crosswalk until Bi-Mart opens and the traffic flow becomes apparent. That will also allow city officials to see if there’s an increase in pedestrians in the area, she said.

Rick Gray voiced yet another possible safety consideration. He said motorists on Spruce Street often have trouble seeing oncoming traffic, particularly fast-moving bicyclists, coming downhill on Oak Street.

The obstruction is due to cars parked on Oak near the intersection, he said. Gray said he has nearly hit bicyclists while driving, and suggested the city make a section of Spruce Street near the intersection a no-parking zone with yellow painting on the curb.

Committee members said it’s unclear whether areas near intersections are already considered no-parking spots.

“We will refer it back to staff to see what our options are because this is an issue,” Dotson said.

The Traffic Safety Committee meets as necessary to discuss various concerns. It’s intended as a conduit for citizens to give their input to city staff members.

Members of the committee include Dotson, Pryce, Sharp, Christensen and Bernard  Banta, who is a citizen member.