According to media reports, Washtenaw County, Michigan, plans to replace street lights and road signs at 30 intersections with energy-saving LED bulbs. The project is planned for six to eight months.
Signal engineer Jeff Young said the county's purpose is to minimize energy and costs. The current intersection uses a 400 watt metal halide bulb with a service life of approximately 15,000 hours. It needs to be replaced at least once a year.
“Modified LEDs can use the same luminaire for 50,000 hours and consume only 120 watts of electricity.” “We can save energy immediately.”
It is reported that each LED is priced at $197, but it is expected to last for about 11 years, which can save the county about $500,000.
He said that converting road signs to LEDs would be "the biggest savings."
He said that one of the reasons for the upgrade was funding. The cost of the renovation comes from the Michigan Transportation Fund, not directly from citizens. The department needs to use 1% of national transportation funds for non-motorized projects.
“This LED retrofit project meets the requirements we need.”
