How many bureaucrats does it take to change a light bulb in Dearborn? Actually, a better question would be how long will it take city officials to screw in LED lights into the city's traffic signals? But the important point is the city is becoming a little more green by installing more energy efficient bulbs into its traffic lights.
So far city workers have put LED lights into 12 of the city's 88 traffic signals and have plans to do the same with 30 more within the next two years. On top of that, local officials are also putting more energy efficient light bulbs in city buildings to help save electricity and more importantly money.
LED lights use a fraction of the electricity of normal light bulbs because 95 percent of the energy they utilize creates light the human eye can see. In comparison, only 50 to 60 percent of energy used by regular light bulbs makes visible light. LEDs are currently used in traffic lights, TV and brake lights for car; as well as many other products.
The LEDs in Dearborn's traffic lights are expected to save 90 percent of the electricity normally used by incandescent bulbs. They are expected to pay for themselves in energy savings within four years.
The new LED signals can be found at several intersections around Dearborn, including Schaefer and Bryan, Chase and Colson, Military and Newman/West Village, Monroe and West Village and along Ford Road from Oakman to Mercury Drive. These intersections also feature LED countdown pedestrian signals, which provide those crossing the street with a visual numbered countdown of the seconds left before the "don’t walk" signal appears.
Other Metro Detroit communities are also looking into making the switch to LED. Ann Arbor is in the process of changing its downtown streetlights and Ypsilanti is also looking into doing the same with its downtown. Ferndale has already switched its traffic signals to LED lights and is looking at doing the same for its streetlights. Oxford-based Relume Technologies is working with a number of other Metro Detroit communities to make the switch.
Source: Randy Coble, spokesman for the city of Dearborn
Writer: Jon Zemke
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