Dear Mahatma: Does the city regulate the brightness of electronic signs? There's one on Chenal Parkway that is insanely bright -- blindingly bright -- whenever I drive past it at night. Seems dangerous to me. -- He Who Plies the Parkway
Dear Plies: When confronted with questions about ordinances promulgated in the city of Little Rock, it's good to ask Tom Carpenter, the city attorney. His answer: Let's ask Tony Bozynski.
Bozynski is the city's director of planning and development, and an all-around source of knowledge about Little Rock. His answer: Section 36-555.
Off we went to the municipal code, of which Section 36-555 is an extremely cool part, titled "Signs permitted in commercial zones."
All kinds of information is conveyed on the matter of signs, their size and number. At the end of subsection (b), which is especially poignant, we find this: "Illumination is allowed but not greater than three hundred (300) footlamberts of luminance."
Further research shows a footlambert to be a unit of measurement of luminance. In fact, a footlambert equals 3.4262591 candelas per square meter. Most people know this, but we put it in for those who forgot.
Naturally we wondered if the city ever enforces this ordinance or has to measure the footlamberts of an illuminated sign. Or, gee, can we come over and play with the city's footlambert machine?
No such luck. Bozynski said that if a sign appears too bright, the city will issue a notice of violation and request the sign owner or sign company provide written specifications that illumination standards are met. On rare occasions, he said, there has been enforcement.
Vanity plate seen on a BMW convertible: GETAWAY.
Dear Mahatma: My complaint is the lack of marking on the access road on Interstate 30 going east to access Interstate 430. This is especially hard to see after dark now that traffic has increased from Bass Pro. -- James
Dear James: Everybody's got a complaint. Want to hear The Mahatma's complaint? There aren't as many cookies floating around in this newsroom as there used to be. Danged health fiends.
But what about you, James?
As reported here last week, citizens should visit iDriveArkansas.com, a service of the Arkansas Highway and Transportation Department. Go to the website. See the contact thingee. Click and scroll down to Report a Problem. Then report.
There's more. We failed to note that our reader, Miss Carol, did exactly that regarding striping on Interstate 630 access from Rodney Parham Road, and the Highway Department was on it like foam on hefeweizen.
"Would you please let your readers know the Highway Department is responsive?" Miss Carol requested.
As you wish.
Vanity plate seen around town on a red convertible Corvette: KIDAGAIN.
This reference to a sports car brings up two questions. Would The Mahatma look better in a Mustang or Camaro? A guy can dream, can't he?
Mahatma@arkansasonline.com
Metro on 12/13/2014