City-owned company Technologie hlavního města Prahy (THMP) has completed the first part of Prague’s very first comprehensive street lighting concept. The concept is being developed upon a City Council decision of last June. Besides charting the current status of street lighting in Prague, the concept will include a revised lighting plan and binding technical standards for future renewal and modernization. The completed part of the document presents a detailed analysis of the current situation and will serve as a basis for the remaining parts of the concept.

According to City Councilor Jan Chabr, it is necessary to make any changes in the street lighting only upon a comprehensive assessment and with an appropriate level of expertise. “Any major changes have a long-term effect and wrong decisions are hard to fix. Since my early days in office, I have insisted that the city needs to adopt a street lighting policy and to have a clear vision for its functioning and further development. The current situation when we have nearly a hundred types of lamps without a clear strategy for their placement and upgrades, is the result of the non-existence of such a document. A conceptual approach to street lighting will help us not only to achieve efficient and cost-effective operation but also to leverage all its functionalities,” says City Councilor Jan Chabr who is responsible for municipal asset management.

The concept will comprise nine parts. “Prague has signed contracts for the first five ones with THMP that has been taking care of the city’s street lamps for several years. Besides an analysis of the current situation, they include a street lighting concept, its economic assessment, an optical and technical analysis, and a complete categorization of Prague streets with respect to potential reduction of nighttime light intensity. THMP will also deliver a comprehensive digital system to integrate and maintain the entire concept,” explains Jan Chabr.

Suppliers of the remaining parts of the concept will be selected in a public tender. These will include, among others, an architectural and urbanist study, an environmental impact and public health assessment, and a market survey of available technical solutions and lamp types. The entire concept should be ready by the end of 2021.

THMP is currently working also on a road accident analysis in Prague streets.

Foto: prahasviti.cz