Going "green" can get you killed on the highway

[CoolBreeze]

New technology can provide new solutions and new problems. In West Bend In, the energy-saving traffic lights are giving public works crews something more to do in the cold. They're also giving drivers a new reason to be careful.

All of the snow we had this week formed a white cap on a lot of the traffic lights in West Bend. The old incandescent lights usually provided enough warmth to melt away those snow caps. But the new LED lights generate hardly any heat. Therefore, the snow stays and prevents drivers from seeing the signals.

The LED light problem led to a crash at the intersection of Westwood and Washington in West Bend.

Four, two-person crews spent Friday using make-shift scrapers to clear the LED lights of the snow.

West Bend officials say the LED traffic lights say the city nearly $100 a month at each of its 24 intersections.

http://www.fox6now.com/news/witi-091211 ... 7265.story

[Hoosier Daddy]

Next up ... LED traffic lights with radomes.

[Jet Black]

It costs more than $1200 a year to run the light bulbs in one incandenscent traffic signal? I don't believe it. Sounds like a Gore-generated figure.

[genlock]

When they outlaw coal and other fossil fuels, wind and other
anti-bird power and solar collectors with their horrible chemicals,
A traffic light might cost $1200 a year to operate.

[The-Hammer]

The story doesn't say "per light" is says "per intersection". That's at least 8 lights (2 per direction), possibly more in the larger intersections (think turning lanes).

And the $100 savings is from total cost of maintenance, including the more frequent bulb changes required by incandescents.


That said, obviously the long term solution is to add heaters to the traffic signal.

[AmpedNow]

That said, obviously the long term solution is to add heaters to the traffic signal.

You would think someone would have thought of this before they started rolling them out.

Overall, LEDs are still much better -- more visibility with less power consumption.

[cgarison]

That said, obviously the long term solution is to add heaters to the traffic signal.

You would think someone would have thought of this before they started rolling them out.

Overall, LEDs are still much better -- more visibility with less power consumption.

Considerably less power consumption. A typical dusk to dawn light costs around $350.00/year to operate. Considering that a traffic light has to be brighter (consume more watts) and operates 24/7, that $1200.00/year cost sounds about right for a traffic light in rural America. Increase that $1200.00 by 60% in NYC and other major metropolitan areas with a higher demand for electricity. In California, double the price for electricity.

[Hoosier Daddy]

The other issue with old style traffic lights is the switching mechanism. Most still use a failsafe design from the 1920s where an electric motor turns a contact wheel like a clock, switching bulbs on and off in a timed manner. This device prevents the possibility that three or all four sides of the light could be green at the same time and cause a crash. Because the amperage in LED lights is much much less than 120V incandescant bulbs, the LED lights use a computer circuit board to achieve the same effect. The old motor system ran continuously and was part of the constant electric drain.

[lastone]

The other issue with old style traffic lights is the switching mechanism. Most still use a failsafe design from the 1920s where an electric motor turns a contact wheel like a clock, switching bulbs on and off in a timed manner. This device prevents the possibility that three or all four sides of the light could be green at the same time and cause a crash. Because the amperage in LED lights is much much less than 120V incandescant bulbs, the LED lights use a computer circuit board to achieve the same effect. The old motor system ran continuously and was part of the constant electric drain.

Correct information except for one thing. Few traffic systems use motors now. Most states went to the "dual-computer system" decades ago. A handfull of small towns may have one still in operation. I know Parkersburg does. But the "motor" is now the exception. And the sync., mid torque clock motor doesn't pull a lot of power.

[genlock]

The traffic control system in Huntington is a computer controlled system. It was planned to have all the
intersections monitored and controlled from a central location. All major intersections have a rather large
box containing the cpu for the lights and communication with the mother ship. Mother ship is in city hall.
As of a few years ago, Huntington had run out of money for the system and, while the hardware was in place,
they were not fully interconnected. Then there was a problem keeping a technician to program, maintain and
operate the system.. Huntington also installed cameras at various places downtown and elsewhere and
tied them together wireless and provided WI-FI for free downtown (Pullman Square). Never implemented
because the city does not have an IT department. Some of the housing projects have web-cams to monitor the
areas there. Lots of good intentions, lots of grant money, no implementation because the city would have
to hire someone with actual skills.