design elements - San Jacinto Texas Historic District

LIGHTING
Street lights are the most visible lighting
feature in the San Jacinto Texas Historic District
and account for the majority of applications.
Street lights can be characterized by the type
of road they are illuminating. Generally,
corridors with higher travel speeds are lit
by taller and more widely spaced lighting
fi xtures.
What is appropriate for a driver in a car,
however, is not always good for a pedestrian
on a sidewalk or a cyclist. Streets that
have important pedestrian environments
have a diff erent set of lighting needs to be
accommodated. Retail areas with storefronts
also benefi t from a unique distribution of
light.
Light can provide visual interest in the
landscape as well. For many visitors to the
District, one of the most striking views is
created by the multitude of individual lights
that adorn the oil refi neries and chemical
plants. What can appear to be a blighted
industrial landscape during the day is
transformed into an ethereal visual spectacle
at night. With the addition of artistic lighting
displays, industrial areas could become
unlikely tourist att ractions.
All of these needs and opportunities should
be balanced with the hazards of energy
waste and light pollution. The following best
practices provide a few measures that will
help to achieve this goal.
LA IN LI CI AM
By some estimates, street lighting accounts for approximately 40% of a typical American city’s electrical
use. And while there is little doubt that lights are critical for making urban areas safe, there is a shifting public
awareness to the issues of energy consumption and light pollution.
SAN JACINTO HISTORIC DISTRICT CORRIDOR STANDARDS │ 109