HIDALGO COUNTY - Residents in north Edinburg are opting to put up their own lights in the neighborhood because of the lack of street lights.

Macedonia Briceno said the lack of lighting in the area poses a serious problem. "Since the 90s, it's been this dark," he told CHANNEL 5 NEWS. "The people pass through here. They shoot their guns at night. It's very dark. The people pass very fast, driving as if they were on the expressway."

In 2016, Hidalgo County started the streetlight pilot program to help folks like Briceno. When the project started, LUPE reported about 80 percent of the nearly 1,000 colonias in Hidalgo County did not have street lights. Since then, more than 800 communities have joined the program.

The program is not free. You'll need a petition from the county with majority of the homeowners agreeing to join the program. You'll also need to pay for the electricity to power the lights.

Briceno said this program is what his area needs to help them feel safer.

Cameron County also has a similar program. Those residents pay about $10 to $15 a year for the lights.