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Earlier this month, the Redwood City Council voted to explore the idea of installing digital (electronic) billboards along Highway 101. Because digital billboards emit significant amounts of light at night, this raises concerns about light pollution that can be harmful to both wildlife and humans. The city should carefully consider the environmental impacts of digital billboards before approving this project.
Redwood City should not approve digital billboards near wildlife habitat
Redwood City should not consider digital billboards near any areas that are important for wildlife. Along Highway 101, this includes both Redwood Creek and Bair Island Ecological Reserve. Redwood Creek, where it flows underneath 101, contains tidal marsh habitat that is important for many species of waterfowl. Bair Island is not only a beloved running and walking trail for Redwood City residents, but it’s also part of the Don Edwards National Wildlife Refuge, a federally-owned nature preserve that provides habitat for many sensitive species, including threatened and endangered species like the Ridgway’s Rail and the salt marsh harvest mouse.
Exposure to artificial light at night can have physiological impacts on wildlife. It can disrupt fundamental biological processes like reproduction, foraging, and predator defense. Artificial light at night affects animals’ circadian rhythms, causes alterations in hormone cycles, and impairs the vision of nocturnal animals. In addition, light from digital billboards can cause disorientation in migratory birds – a major concern given that Redwood City’s Bay shoreline is on the Pacific Flyway, and thousands of migratory birds pass through every season.
According to Dark Sky International, electronic billboards can be up to ten times brighter at night than traditionally lit billboards. Because there is no way to shield or direct the light that digital billboards emit, this nighttime lighting inevitably spills into adjacent areas.
Digital billboards can also affect human health
Artificial light at night has been shown to affect human health in many ways, from sleep disorders to breast cancer. One study found that outdoor artificial light at night interferes with sleep patterns and is associated with mood and anxiety disorders in adolescents. This is an environmental justice issue, since studies have found that there are disparities in exposure to light pollution based on racial, ethnic and socioeconomic status.
Finally, the simple ability to see the night sky and the stars is impacted by increased artificial light at night. People everywhere take joy in seeing the night sky, as evidenced by the widespread interest in astronomical events like comets, eclipses and other nighttime phenomena. Cities should weigh the impacts on people’s enjoyment of the stars when considering whether to take actions that would increase artificial light at night.
Digital billboards won’t bring in enough money to make it worthwhile
According to city staff, San Carlos’ five digital billboards only bring in $500,000 to $600,000 yearly for the city. That’s around $100,000 per billboard – a meager amount compared to Redwood City’s total annual expenses, which are projected to be over $373 million in 2024-25, according to the city’s budget summary. When weighed against the necessary staff time spent in moving this effort forward (see below), it is questionable whether installing digital billboards is worth it.
Next steps for Redwood City
The City Council approved a “phased approach,” with the first phase allowing installation of one digital billboard. To move forward, the city will have to roll back its current prohibition on all billboards (both digital and static), which the city enacted in 2007 in order to protect Redwood City’s natural beauty, historic character and property values. Removing this billboard prohibition will require analysis of environmental impacts under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), including the impacts described above.
Caltrans prohibits digital billboards on “landscaped freeways,” which cover most of Highway 101 in Redwood City. However, city staff specified during the meeting that an exception could be requested, noting that San Carlos obtained exceptions for all five of its digital billboards. There are other obstacles to installing billboards, ranging from other Caltrans regulations to conflicts with existing underground infrastructure, so the city will need to study whether those obstacles can be overcome.
Do you think Redwood City should install digital billboards along Highway 101? Tell me in the comments!
Thank you for a good discussion of this. I completely agree that Redwood City, and those driving on the roadways, will not be well served by these billboards. Many cities are moving towards controlling and reducing artificial light at night. Redwood City appears to be doing the opposite.
Thank you for raising issues that should be considered. I find the San Carlos billboards blinding and distracting when driving at night, perhaps another consideration? I do appreciate staff and council looking for alternative sources of revenue to bridge budget deficits.