Puerto Vallarta’s primary thoroughfare, Francisco Medina Ascencio Avenue, was plunged into darkness Wednesday night, marking the second lighting failure this week following a similar incident on Monday. The affected stretch extends from the airport area to the Naval Military Hospital, raising concerns among both residents and tourists about safety and visibility.
According to Javier Navarro, Director of Municipal Public Services, the recurring problem stems from malfunctioning automatic timers in the street lighting system. To address the immediate issue, officials implemented a manual switch to restore illumination while they work toward a permanent solution.
The lighting outages on this critical artery pose significant risks for both pedestrians and motorists navigating the area after dark. Beyond traffic safety concerns, the darkness creates conditions that could potentially enable criminal activity, fueling anxiety throughout the community.
Shortly after reports of the outage surfaced, city officials released images confirming that lighting had been restored to the avenue. Despite this quick response, questions remain about whether similar failures will continue to occur in the coming days without a permanent fix to the timing system.