There’s a right place and a wrong place for everything, but a bike lane seems like the worst place to install street light poles.

On Dec. 3 we reported on new street lights on Lower Sherbourne St. that look like Victorian-era gas lamps but weren’t working, leaving pedestrians feeling creeped out about walking in the dark.

After our column, readers pointed out a problem we were too dumb to pick up on (now there’s honesty) when we went there to take photos.

“If you look at where the poles are placed, you will realize they are in the middle of the bike lane,” said William Power in an email.

“I think leaving these poles in the actual street poses a hazard to both motorists and bikes, particularly at night,” he said, adding he contacted 311 to ask for the poles to be marked by pylons, but they weren’t.

Utility poles are always installed in the boulevard on the other side of the curb, where vehicles are less likely to crash into them; these are a departure from standard practice.

We went back and found five poles in the bike lane, between The Esplanade and Lake Shore, but it’s clear that somebody decided they’re a problem in their current location.

All five have been marked by pylons and surrounded by concrete barricades since our first visit, which will warn away cyclists and protect them from a careening vehicle.

We figured there had to be a good reason; Toronto Hydro, which put up the poles, knows its business and would not make such a serious blunder.

Before we were able to ask about it, Mallory Cunnington, who deals with media for Toronto Hydro, emailed to say the lights are now working, and also explained the positioning of the poles.

“There’s some city work going on in the area to narrow the road, so the lights may seem out of place, but that’s only temporary until the work is finished,” she said.

So it’s no mistake, and when the narrowing of the road is completed, the poles will be on the right side of the curb.

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But the temporary solution creates a new problem, borne of poor planning: Cyclists have to veer out of the bike lane and into traffic at all five poles, to avoid the barricades.