The Houston Public Works Director Wednesday responded to a KHOU 11 investigation that exposed hundreds of non-working high mast lights along Houston highways.

“I don’t think any time the infrastructure we have is not working is an acceptable thing,” Director Randy Macchi said. “But it’s a matter of priorities in many instances, when you balance what the priorities for the city are, which is fixing our streets … high mast lights, they’re a priority, but they’re not going to be number one in those priorities.”

Over the course of two nights, KHOU 11 Investigates drove across Harris County and counted a total of 478 lights out. About 78%, 375 of those, are located within Houston city limits and are required to be maintained by the city under a 1963 agreement with TxDOT.

“Really what’s happened over the years, is we continued to kick the can down the road,” Macchi said. “One goes out here, that’s OK, two goes out here, that’s OK. Then it balloons to 375. Well, now we’ve got to solve a major problem.”

Since KHOU 11 Investigates first shined a light on the high-mast lighting problem in November, Macchi said there is now renewed coordination between the city and state to put the issue on the front burner.

“What you have now is a group of people between the city and TxDOT who have put together plans to figure out how to get it done and how to get it done at scale,” Macchi said.

The results of those efforts are starting to take shape. On the Eastex Freeway near Laura Koppe Rd., TxDOT contractors were replacing entire high mast lighting towers with new LED bulbs. Houston Public Works said it has repaired 30 high-mast lights over the past month.

At Houston City Council Wednesday, Vice Mayor Pro Tem Amy Peck said she is keeping tabs on the hundreds of lights still out.

“It’s absolutely not acceptable,” Peck said. “We just need to get it done and make sure that those lights are working.”

Houston Public Works is expected to share a detailed plan of action and timeline for repairs with city council members in the coming days.

Glenn Albrittton, district engineer for TxDOT’s Houston region, declined an interview request for this story.