Streetscape upgrade at University of Chicago makes campus more pedestrian-friendly

40-foot-tall light masts are reminiscent of Star Wars light sabers
March 8, 2011

From The Chicago Tribune: Meet the Light Sabers. With a nod to the glowing weapon of choice in the “Star Wars” duels between Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader, University of Chicago students have pinned an affectionate nickname on the new, 40-foot-tall light masts (left) that traverse the Midway Plaisance. The stainless steel masts, which emit spectacular shafts of white light, are the most visible elements of a nearly complete, roughly $8 million streetscape upgrade that has added lighted railings and widened sidewalks on the campus, making the act of crossing the Midway feel safer and more pedestrian-friendly.

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