In the city center and the suburbs, little changes. On the main streets and thoroughfares, it makes no difference. On a weekly basis, dozens of streets are now left in darkness at night. Cagliari, on Friday night, had entire streets without lighting. Neighborhoods were left without even a single headlight; the only things that intermittently illuminate the streets for a few seconds are the high beams of cars. A trip from Pirri to Sant'Avendrace, from Bonaria to San Benedetto, reveals another side of the capital, that of a "switched off" city, which, according to citizens' protests, has become an increasingly frequent phenomenon lately.
The map – Entire neighborhoods, or almost, are in darkness: Viale Sant'Avendrace and all the side streets (Via Flumendosa, Via Tirso, Via Isonzo, to name a few), San Michele (with the square of the same name), Via Col di Lana, Via Monte Sabotino, Via Monte Santo). In these areas, the only lights come from inside homes. Not only that. On Via Mercalli, you have to walk or use your smartphone flashlight to be seen by cars passing nearby. Crossing Viale Diaz, for both cars and pedestrians, is a game of Russian roulette: the stretch occupied by the subway construction site, in front of the Banco di Sardegna, heading towards Bonaria, is one of the most dangerous at night: there's no light, but instead there are customers leaving the bars and crossing to reach the parking lot on the other side, risking becoming bowling pins. And more: in the dark or dim light, Viale Colombo, where many streetlights are obscured by treetops, Piazza Amendola, at the intersection with Via Roma, Piazzale Marco Polo, Via Pessina, Via Milano, the Asse Mediano near the Genneruxi junction, Viale Trieste, the stretch still to be upgraded, to name just a few. "We don't know why, but this disruption has been going on for some time and is making life impossible for residents," says Francesca Dettori, who lives in Sant'Avendrace. "Going out for a walk is becoming dangerous; we can only walk around with our cell phone flashlights on. It's as if we were in the Third World," she adds. Fiorenza Spalatro, also a resident of the area, raises the alarm: "For two weeks, despite numerous reports, many streets remain in the dark, without street lighting, causing inconvenience and danger to residents."
Security – A lack of security is paramount in this cahier de grâce among residents. "Without street lighting, there is no security," emphasizes Edoardo Tocco, FI group leader. "There's talk of breakdowns, thefts, damage, and cabins being eaten by rodents: all contributing factors that have been jeopardizing the street lighting system for weeks. Immediate action is needed," he says, appealing to the administration. "Under the previous administration, we invested six million euros to replace thousands of light fixtures," explains Alessio Mereu, former councilor for urban infrastructure. "To make the service efficient, we need to activate a remote monitoring system that allows us, through a centralized control center, to immediately identify faults and disruptions, without waiting for reports from residents, and take action."