LED street light programme underway
LED street lights are being installed across the Taupo District in a move that will see significant savings and improve safety for drivers.
The project will see about 4000 lights in the Taupo District replaced, with an expected completion date of June 2019.
Transportation asset manager Claire Sharland said Taupo District Council was one of a number of councils replacing sodium lights with the LED variety, and the $2.5 million project had attracted a subsidy of 85 percent funding from the New Zealand Transport Authority. This meant the total cost to council was only $375,000.
Ms Sharland said the change brought with it a number of benefits. "LED lights last longer, require less maintenance and use less energy. The lights are expected to use 57 per cent of the power of the existing lamps, and we are expecting to make average cost savings of $92,464 each year," she said.
"The new lamps also last up to three times longer. Typically the expected life of an LED street light will be 50,000 to 100,000 hours. In comparison the existing ones can vary from 6,000 to 24,000 hours depending on the type of light. An added advantage is the guarantee of 10 years which will also reduce maintenance costs."
The new LED lighting may appear different to road users. They will be at the New Zealand Transport Authority recommended colour temperature of 4000K, and will appear whiter than most of the existing lamps.
Ms Sharland said the council had received some mixed feedback from residents in areas where the lights had been changed and understood they may take some time to get used to.
"White light is quite a change from what we had before but has been proven to improve driver reaction times, peripheral vision and provide better colour recognition and as such will improve safety.
"Another advantage is that there will be less light directed upwards or thrown onto neighbouring properties. Modern street lighting is generally designed to light the road reserve, including the footpath, with a more defined cut-off than many existing lights. The transition from a well-lit area to an area outside the reach of the lights may be more noticeable, making light-spill into properties now minimal in most cases," she said.
The council was taking the opportunity to audit lights for future improvement work as part of the project and disruption to residents and motorists was expected to be minimal.
The project commenced this month, with 163 units replaced across 37 streets to date, with the majority of the Nukuhau area now completed.
August 24 2018
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Matt MortimerCommunications advisor 07 376 0641 022 407 4990
Andy TaylorSenior communications advisor 07 376 0781 027 570 4651