936 New LED Streetlights Installed in Urban Area of Hanzhong, Shaanxi

Recently, Mr. Zhang, a resident of Hanzhong City, Shaanxi Province, noticed while biking through the southern section of Wangjiang Road in the city center that the sidewalk was much brighter than before. "This section used to be heavily shaded by trees, and the streetlights couldn't penetrate the canopy. Walking here at night always required extra caution. Now, with the newly installed lights, the road is clearly illuminated," he said, pointing to the newly added LED auxiliary lights along the non-motorized vehicle lane.

This warm glow is a tangible example of how the Hanzhong Streetlight Management Office has focused on addressing urgent public concerns by precisely resolving the "tree-light conflict." In recent years, as urban greening efforts have advanced, trees along many central city roads have grown denser, blocking most of the light from streetlights installed between motorized and non-motorized lanes. This has created a situation where "the lights are on, but the road remains dark," posing safety risks for nighttime travel.

Public needs guide urban governance. In 2024, the Hanzhong Streetlight Management Office included this issue in its list of initiatives to improve people's livelihoods. As part of urban micro-renovations and efforts to enhance the city's appearance and environment, the office implemented an "Urban Brightening Initiative" along six main streets in the central city, installing 567 LED auxiliary lights and performing maintenance on 227 sets of streetlight facilities along Tianhan Avenue.

Since the beginning of this year, the Hanzhong Streetlight Management Office has further integrated the resolution of the "tree-light conflict" into its regular operations. Through multiple channels-such as feedback from the 12345 citizen hotline, daily inspections by staff, and in-depth community surveys-the office identified lighting deficiencies along non-motorized vehicle lanes and sidewalks on six main roads in the central city, including the southern section of Wangjiang Road, the southern section of Liangzhou Road, and the northern section of West First Ring Road.

However, addressing this issue is not a matter of applying a one-size-fits-all solution. Street trees serve as the city’s green lungs and scenic assets. Excessive pruning not only affects aesthetics but also contradicts the natural growth patterns of trees. How to balance ecological preservation with public safety has become a nuanced challenge for the Streetlight Management Office.