Washington Street Scene of Zombie Apocalypse Tonight

(News report/Commentary)

No, not really, but it sure felt like the start of a zombie apocalypse driving home coming off of 91 south eventually onto route 66 Washington Street during the last leg of rush hour this evening. No street lights, no store lights, and cars vying for position to exit the area. An electrical fire at a transformer near CVS caused the power outage. At the intersection of Washington and Boston Post Road, police closed route 66 and directed traffic towards the outskirts of town.

So what is this a picture of? That would be the Home Depot & Price Chopper sign that usually illuminates a good portion of the street. Even the golden arches were out. The landscape along this stretch of road was surreal this evening; few emergency lights loomed from stores, and almost none lit the exterior portions of buildings. Staples' plaza was also completely dark aside from faint emergency lighting coming from buildings. The lights shown brightly from the vacant A&P. How this is possible is sort of shocking and scary to me; by code during a fire emergency lights inside buildings kick in to light signs and provide minimal yet essential lighting for those seeking escape. Why there are not significantly more exterior emergency lights and for if the power were to be cut during a fire I do not know. What is missing here is any lot lights in the vast parking lots along Washington Street- any pedestrians in these lots were at the mercy of drivers who could only see them by headlights.

It is too bad in this situation that store owners have not taken advantage of new technology that's environmentally friendly too; solar lighting. And no, not your Gramma's solar panels, these are hefty enough to power parking lot lights and need no external power to operate the batteries. These babies and others like them do not require line voltage at all and bank collected power. Sidewalk lighting, lot lighting, traffic lights, the possibilities are endless.

New Solar Lot Lights Its ok if people wish to comment how maybe this is not a 100% great idea, and the situations it would not work, but I think you catch my drift the point I am trying to make. Today's technology working for a better community and environment, the public should expect no less from developers & business owners looking to invest in Middletown. Tax breaks & grants should be given to help out business owners in rough times to make better choices too.

Middletown, lets put a few of these on our Christmas list.