Omaha Forums

City Tests LED Bulbs In Street Lights

http://www.wowt.com/home/headlines/30040539.html

www.wowt.com wrote:OPPD is experimenting with new LED light bulbs in the Field Club neighborhood, in hopes of saving energy and hopefully money.

The new LED (Light-Emitting Diode) street lights at 45th and Woolworth are part of a 90-day test program.

"According to the manufacturer, LED bulbs have the potential to provide savings to taxpayers in both energy and maintenance costs as the bulbs could last up to five times as long as the bulbs currently used in street lights and many use half as much energy,” says Mayor Fahey.

OPPD says if the lighting is adequate they will expand the project to study the reliability and durability of the lights.

“Some of the issues with LEDs, they are a little more expensive, about four times more than the current high pressure sodium-type bulbs," says OPPD’s Gary Gates. The LED lights cost $450 compared to $93 for high pressure sodium light bulbs.

www.wowt.com wrote:"The new street lights are great,” says Vanessa Larson. “It’s a little bit brighter and a bigger area that it lights up which is great for safety.

If they employ the non convex design which is shown in the photo accompanying the article... it may be an improvement in terms of glare (and more importantly, light pollution).

I was wondering about that.  I was going to try to remember to check one out next time I am down that way.

Jeff, here is a video where you can see the cover a little better:

http://www.ketv.com/news/17607187/detail.html

Seems like a petty way to save a little money. My understanding is that a Douglas/Omaha merger would ultimately be the most lucrative idea, lets start with that?

[wmp]http://mfile.akamai.com/12910/wmv/vod.i ... 5.200k.asx[/wmp]

I like this model better:

If we weren't dropping a billion on a new sewer drain for Big E... I'd say go the solar route, but I'm thinking we're going to be pretty well tapped out for the foreseeable future.

The full cut-off design of the new LED lights is encouraging.

We were noticing the other night how bright the LED lights were on the top of the bridge.  They are going to make great streetlights.

Anything is bound to be better that the orange sickly ones now. Ugh.

DTO Luv wrote:Anything is bound to be better that the orange sickly ones now. Ugh.

No kidding.  I never thought about that, but LEDs come oin so many colors, including white, we might not need orange anymore.  Sometimes I forget when I go back to small towns and they are still white what things were like back in the day.

Why are they orange now? I just assumed that's how they all were.

Aren't orange lights "anti-bug"? Like bugs are less likely to flock to them? Somebody told me once and it seems plausible. Why else would the pick those fugly bulbs?

The 'orange' street lights are known as sodium lamps.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sodium_vapor_lamp

I wish we'd go to white ones. At times, the orange makes it incredibly hard to see.

I believe Orange lights are also more effective in Fog and other low-visibility situations...

I'm pretty sure the street lights are actually high pressure sodium which is slightly better in color than low pressure sodium.  I don't believe I've ever actually seen low pressure sodium but it is supposed to be really nasty on colors.  The "white" lights are metal halide and they don't put out quite as much light as high pressure sodium and in some conditions they can look too "blue" but they look MUCH better than HPS in my opinion.

I noticed on WOWT tonight the huge difference between Farnam (in Midtown Crossing Area) and everything else in the area.  Midtown's lights are so nice and white, everything else is that dull Orange.

Does anyone know how the LED test went?

A little off the subject but I watched a program awhile ago about somewhere in California (I think) where they were testing a street lighting system that dims depending on how bright the moon is.  Something about how our eyes have evolved to see in moonlight and the excess light from street lights actually make it harder on our eyes.  Sounded like an interesting idea but I never heard anything else on it.

Zilla wrote:A little off the subject but I watched a program awhile ago about somewhere in California (I think) where they were testing a street lighting system that dims depending on how bright the moon is.  Something about how our eyes have evolved to see in moonlight and the excess light from street lights actually make it harder on our eyes.  Sounded like an interesting idea but I never heard anything else on it.

That actually sounds like a great idea.  With LED systems, it would be technically simple as well: just use a light sensor on top and wire the LEDs in 2 or 3 banks that could be progressively turned on as darkness requires.

They've been installing quite a few in Urbana where I live now, starting with some locations near the university and downtown.  Like others have said, they give a nice, clean white light.  In my opinion though, they have about twice as many as necessary for safe lighting.  Maybe they're trying to go overboard since there have been some robberies on that street in the past few years.

How about dimming the lights during the day, not just in accordance with the moon?  Its seems there's already a basic technology in night lights.

How about dimming the lights during the day, not just in accordance with the moon?  Its seems there's already a basic technology in night lights.

I was wondering what's everyone opinion if Omaha started to replace the Street light's we currently have with LED's?

OmahaFan wrote:I was wondering what's everyone opinion if Omaha started to replace the Street light's we currently have with LED's?

I think it's only a matter of time until you'll see a switch-over to LED's in Omaha. It's already happening privately due to the increased energy efficiency required by the newer energy codes (IEEC) LED's last longer than High Pressure Sodium (HPS) lamps, use less power, and produce a wider range, higher quality color-temperature light output.

Here's a good comparison...
http://www.charlottefl.com/outreach/age ... 0920/3.pdf

Well there is currently LED lights on the bridge by the Zoo heading into Iowa. I think Council Bluff's will be stringing them across there section of the Highway due to the major construction project regarding the Highway. I know recently that the City of Omaha wanted to replace the Street light signals with LED bulbs but the public was concerned about it because apparently during the winter the bulbs wouldn't melt away the snow causing possible issue's. I think if the City of Omaha want's to cut electric cost and reduce pollution emission's that they should switch all Street light's over to LED. Also regarding the bright white it gives off I think the City of Omaha could find a product that would direct the beam down and reduce the chance of that white light intruding into someone's home. I have to admit it get's annoying when your heading onto the interstate at 42nd street and all the light's on the Interstate are out. I know they are working because I see them on sometime's. I really don't know why they shut off huge swaths of lights. I recently saw a video on Youtube where a city was trying out new light's and well one of the cool thing's is that when a emergency truck or car turned on there light's and siren's the light's responded to that by creating red strobes to warn driver's of the oncoming emergency unit's.

[youtube][/youtube]

(Here is the video I'm talking about)

Lincoln is actively replacing street lights with LEDs. The recently widened stretch of Old Cheney between 70th & 84th is entirely LED and it looks awesome!

The I80 bridge over the Missouri River and parts of I80 in the bluffs look so much better with LED lights. I can't wait until Omaha starts using them too. I first saw LED streetlights in Colorado a few years ago and was really struck by how nice and white the color is.

I was just in Madison WI and Middleton WI and they already have LED street light's lining some of there streets. I really think Omaha would save a butt load on electricity and OPPD wouldn't need to replace burned out light bulbs that often. Then again we have the sewer Separation project going on so I doubt Omaha would want to fund installing new LED street light's.

OmahaFan wrote:I was just in Madison WI and Middleton WI and they already have LED street light's lining some of there streets. I really think Omaha would save a butt load on electricity and OPPD wouldn't need to replace burned out light bulbs that often. Then again we have the sewer Separation project going on so I doubt Omaha would want to fund installing new LED street light's.

It would take several years, but the sodium vapor bulbs could be swapped out for LED units during regular maintenance.

The city of Hastings, Nebraska is well on its way to changing out street lights to LED. And the city of Puerto Vallarta, Mexico pretty much did this in the past couple of years.

Well I guess I could get in contact with my new council member about bringing this up during the city council debate or at least send a email up the Mayor's office and seeing what they have to say. I think if Omaha was serious about saving money they should look strongly into replacing the old street lights with more efficient lighting. Not only would this help save electricity for Omaha and Omaha Tax payer's but it would also improve public safety in my opinion due to a more bright lighting system. Does anyone know how I can get in contact with my Council member from South Omaha?

OmahaFan wrote:Does anyone know how I can get in contact with my Council member from South Omaha?

Other than this? https://citycouncil.cityofomaha.org/cou ... district-4

OmahaFan wrote:Well I guess I could get in contact with my new council member about bringing this up during the city council debate or at least send a email up the Mayor's office and seeing what they have to say. I think if Omaha was serious about saving money they should look strongly into replacing the old street lights with more efficient lighting. Not only would this help save electricity for Omaha and Omaha Tax payer's but it would also improve public safety in my opinion due to a more bright lighting system. Does anyone know how I can get in contact with my Council member from South Omaha?

I would be surprised if it wasn't already being discussed by public works as part of their long-range planning. The old HPS fixtures will eventually be discontinued as more and more communities switch over to LED for greater efficiency and longevity.

But it wouldn't hurt to let the mayor and council members hear your opinion.

Yeah I would hope they are discussing this issue. Might not seem important but it would save the city money and that would help tax payers in the long run.

To pay for road repairs, Omaha City Council considers redirecting money from streetlight maintenance fund

http://www.omaha.com/news/metro/to-pay- ... 50b83.html

Now they’re eyeing the city’s $13.6 million contract with Omaha Public Power District for streetlight maintenance as one place to find money for those streets.

Councilman Pete Festersen brought up the issue at Tuesday’s council meeting, saying it’s a “pet peeve” that the city spends street funds — mostly from the gas tax — on streetlights.


He and Stubbe said the city is also exploring the possibility of moving to LED lights, which he said would save about 90 percent of energy costs. (Energy makes up nearly 20 percent of the overall streetlight contract with OPPD, or about $2.5 million annually).

I just read the article and I'm concerned they are taking money away from the streelightt fund but I'm also excited that in the fall they will come out with a recommendation on replacing the streetlights with LED lights. I am happy though they will be adding to the street improvement fund. Hopefully they can start replacing and repairing these old streets and the cherry on top would be LED lights shining on those new beautiful smooth concrete streets of ours! Then again I wonder if Omaha would experiment with Solar roads?

Noticed a single LED streetlight on an exit ramp in Lincoln on Monday, out by the airport. I also notices some LED Streetlights in some of the small towns out in western Nebraska.

Brad wrote:Noticed a single LED streetlight on an exit ramp in Lincoln on Monday, out by the airport. I also notices some LED Streetlights in some of the small towns out in western Nebraska.

That's funny. I think I saw that same one by the airport on Monday.

Brad wrote:Noticed a single LED streetlight on an exit ramp in Lincoln on Monday, out by the airport. I also notices some LED Streetlights in some of the small towns out in western Nebraska.

Old Cheney Road in Lincoln between 70th & 84th (just south of where that house exploded) is fully LED lit. Color temperature looks to be around 5K. They’re currently working on replacing the lights with LEDs on 70th south of O. They’re considering going full LED in Lincoln at a cost of 11 mil, but with an annual savings of 1.1 mil.

All new exterior lights on the UNL campuses are LED and have been for a while.