Drivers Being Hurt, Killed by Snow-Covered LED Traffic Lights
Congoleum Breckenridge
By DINESH RAMDE
Associated Press Writer
MILWAUKEE (AP) -- Cities around the country that have installed
energy-efficient traffic lights are discovering a hazardous downside:
The bulbs don't burn hot enough to melt snow and can become crusted
over in a storm - a problem blamed for dozens of accidents and at least
one death.
"I've never had to put up with this in the past," said Duane Kassens, a
driver from West Bend who got into a fender-bender recently because he
couldn't see the lights. "The police officer told me the new lights
weren't melting the snow. How is that safe?"
Many communities have switched to LED bulbs in their traffic lights
because they use 90 percent less energy than the old incandescent
variety, last far longer and save money. Their great advantage is also
their drawback: They do not waste energy by producing heat.
Authorities in several states are testing possible solutions, including
installing weather shields, adding heating elements like those used in
airport runway lights, or coating the lights with water-repellent
substances.
Short of some kind of technological fix, "as far as I'm aware, all that
can be done is to have crews clean off the snow by hand," said Green
Bay, Wis., police Lt. Jim Runge. "It's a bit labor-intensive."
In St. Paul, Minn., for example, city crews use air compressors to blow
snow and ice off blocked lights.
Some communities began installing cool-burning LEDs more than a decade
ago, and it wasn't long before drivers started complaining about the
problem.
Illinois authorities said that during a storm in April, 34-year-old
Lisa Richter could see she had a green light and began making a left
turn. A driver coming from the opposite direction did not realize the
stoplight was obscured by snow and plowed into Richter's vehicle,
killing her.
"Would the accident have occurred if the lights had been clear? I would
be willing to bet not," Oswego police Detective Rob Sherwood said.
Authorities said dozens of similar collisions have been reported in
other cold-weather states, including Iowa and Minnesota.
Not every storm causes snow to stick to the lights, but when the wind
is right and the snow is wet, drivers should beware, said Gary Fox, a
traffic engineer for the city of Des Moines, Iowa.
Exactly how much a technological fix will cost is unclear, but it will
surely cut into the savings and the energy efficiency many cities are
enjoying.
Wisconsin, which has put LED bulbs at hundreds of intersections, saves
about $750,000 per year in energy costs, said Dave Vieth of the state
Transportation Department. LEDs installed seven years ago are still
burning, while most incandescent bulbs have to be replaced every 12 to
18 months, he said.
"With LEDs we have energy savings in excess of 80 percent, and we don't
have to have crews replacing them as often," Vieth said. "So it's clear
the overall savings are pretty significant."
In Minnesota, where authorities have upgraded hundreds of traffic
lights to LEDs, the Transportation Department occasionally gets reports
of an obstructed light. But by the time a highway crew arrives, the
wind has often knocked out the snow and ice, said traffic systems
specialist Jerry Kotzenmacher. Minnesota is experimenting with weather
shields.
One reason there have been so few deaths is that drivers know they
should treat a traffic signal with obstructed lights as a stop sign,
traffic experts say.
"It's the same as if the power is out," said Dave Hansen, a traffic
engineer with the Green Bay Department of Public Works. "If there's any
question, you err on the side of caution."
Adam Aglionby
Tip from CCTV guys , wirewound resistor inside, darn should have got a
U.S. Patent on that...
Cheers
Adam
Andrew Gabriel
Adam Aglionby <ledl...@gmail.com> writes:
>
> Tip from CCTV guys , wirewound resistor inside, darn should have got a
> U.S. Patent on that...
Perhaps I'll patent connecting it via a frost-stat ;-)
(Unlike a CCTV one, it's not there to avoid condensation in the case.)
--
Andrew Gabriel
[email address is not usable -- followup in the newsgroup]
Mike Lamond
"Andrew Gabriel" <and...@cucumber.demon.co.uk> wrote in message
news:hgc2da$b57$2...@news.eternal-september.org...
There's a similar thread on misc.transport.road, with links to several print
and
television reports:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/34436730/ns/us_news-life/
"Stoplights Freeze Over, Causing Accident" (WTMJ Milwaukee, 12/10
http://www.todaystmj4.com/news/local/79008352.html
"[Blizzard] Allison drapes traffic lights in snow" (WLUK Green Bay, 12/10)
http://www.fox11online.com/dpp/news/allison-leaves-snow-draped-traffic-lights
My comment:
Interesting. I've noticed some snow accumulating on traffic signals around
here, but not even Central New York's lake effect snowfall accumulates
enough to completely block signals. I wonder if it's related to the visor
design - the ones around here are more of a half-round visor style, much
more open than the ones shown in the above links.
Mike
R Fritz
The reports are short on substantiated facts.
On Jan 3, 10:46 pm, "Mike Lamond" <m.lamondDEL...@att.net> wrote:
> "Andrew Gabriel" <and...@cucumber.demon.co.uk> wrote in message
>
> news:hgc2da$b57$2...@news.eternal-september.org...
>
> > In article
> > <37175cb8-b262-4e1c-9e58-ec26ca0d4...@m38g2000yqd.googlegroups.com>,
> > Adam Aglionby <ledli...@gmail.com> writes:
>
> >> Tip from CCTV guys , wirewound resistor inside, darn should have got a
> >> U.S. Patent on that...
>
> > Perhaps I'll patent connecting it via a frost-stat ;-)
> > (Unlike a CCTV one, it's not there to avoid condensation in the case.)
>
> > --
> > Andrew Gabriel
> > [email address is not usable -- followup in the newsgroup]
>
> There's a similar thread on misc.transport.road, with links to several print
> and
> television reports:
>
> http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/34436730/ns/us_news-life/
>
> "Stoplights Freeze Over, Causing Accident" (WTMJ Milwaukee, 12/10http://www.todaystmj4.com/news/local/79008352.html
>
> "[Blizzard] Allison drapes traffic lights in snow" (WLUK Green Bay, 12/10)http://www.fox11online.com/dpp/news/allison-leaves-snow-draped-traffi...