LED street lights (Atlanta: city hall, neighborhoods, contractors)

[Need4Camaro]

So on my way to San Francisco about a month ago, passing through several states I just couldn't help but notice how seemingly behind we are on this conversion. Several artery roads in the metro area and several residential roads have completed this, but our interstates remain untouched with the exception of the implementation of brand new lights.

I was quite surprised that even Arkansas street lamps for the entire stretch of I-40 were entirely LED's, same goes for Oklahoma, Texas, Mississippi, New Mexico, and alot of California. I am hoping that they convert the ones on I-75/I-85 and I-20..(and I'm really hoping that that build new ones on stretches without illumination)

[samiwas1]

That low-energy, nearly maintenance-free solution is just a liberal agaenda against freedom.

[cqholt]

Originally Posted by Need4Camaro

So on my way to San Francisco about a month ago, passing through several states I just couldn't help but notice how seemingly behind we are on this conversion. Several artery roads in the metro area and several residential roads have completed this, but our interstates remain untouched with the exception of the implementation of brand new lights.

I was quite surprised that even Arkansas street lamps for the entire stretch of I-40 were entirely LED's, same goes for Oklahoma, Texas, Mississippi, New Mexico, and alot of California. I am hoping that they convert the ones on I-75/I-85 and I-20..(and I'm really hoping that that build new ones on stretches without illumination)

In those states, does the DOT pay to maintain them? In Georgia the jurisdictions must maintain them, so that may be a reason why.

[red92s]

People lost their collective minds when the LED's where installed in residential areas around here.

[MattCW]

In what way? Good or bad?

[Caleb Longstreet]

Originally Posted by cqholt

In those states, does the DOT pay to maintain them? In Georgia the jurisdictions must maintain them, so that may be a reason why.

They are the biggest no-brainer to put in your house, business, etc.....why:

1) Lifespan. Typically, COMMERCIAL grade LED's last 100,000 hours
2) Solid state....vibration and wind is irrelevant
3) Cost. They are finally at a point where they are very cost-effective and the ROI is incredibly short when you consider their lifespan
4) Maintenance. Longer life means LESS truck rolls which means LOWER overall cost of ownership
5) luminosity....if you have purchased any, you know....
6) power consumption....they burn roughly 1/2 or less, the power of conventional lighting
7) inventory/warehousing...small point but, typically a smaller footprint, look in parking lots and you will see them, popping up everywhere, for the same reasons
8) lowers the drain on the grid...an every crumbling problem in America


Cons:

1) Conversion. Municipalities like all government agencies have to "talk about it" for about a year, then plan it with a vendor for another and spend the next 3 converting them....ugh....
2) Truck rolls....number one incremental expense....when contractors are used there is a considerable cost. The cost to roll a guy into a parking lot to replace one mercury halide light is roughly $700-$800 per trip to include the shorter lifespan of the new bulb....sigh.....
3) Ain't broke, don't fix it....it's French for lazy guvmint' workers don't really want to do much except pursue a pension on your nickel....forever....you want that?
4) Lights are working now, hard sell to boards that are scrambling for every poorly spent nickel they get from the citizens as it is.

Anyone with an open mind spend 30 minutes talking to someone about the cost to install and maintain these would have you running at city hall to kick them in the assets and MAKE them start saving YOU money/taxes.....novel.....not much ground there as they will simply spend it on something else like printers for every employee so they don't have to walk to an MFP.....

[sedimenjerry]

I love them. Westpark Tollway has them and they're great. Typically I don't like night driving on freeways as it's harder to see other cars but it's so bright with the LEDs that I don't even notice that much of a difference. Every car is illuminated. So much nicer than driving on the completely dark 285.

[architect77]

They could have used a slightly warmer hue for Georgia Power's LED replacements. I don't like the cheap-looking 1/2 missing style of the fixtures either. They look like a lower lens piece should be attached, an unfinished appearance in my opinion.

Just be ecstatic that our highway lights are working after 8 years of being broken and turned off.

Our decorated bridges look stupid with light poles completely opposite of every aspect of Atlanta's signature black decorative pole designs.

[magnetar]

I think hearing that Atlanta has a "signature light pole design" would be news to anyone who lives outside of one or two very specific neighborhoods in the city.

[SEAandATL]

Originally Posted by Need4Camaro

So on my way to San Francisco about a month ago, passing through several states I just couldn't help but notice how seemingly behind we are on this conversion. Several artery roads in the metro area and several residential roads have completed this, but our interstates remain untouched with the exception of the implementation of brand new lights.

I was quite surprised that even Arkansas street lamps for the entire stretch of I-40 were entirely LED's, same goes for Oklahoma, Texas, Mississippi, New Mexico, and alot of California. I am hoping that they convert the ones on I-75/I-85 and I-20..(and I'm really hoping that that build new ones on stretches without illumination)

I'm sorry that we're not San Fransokyo, lol.