Town Planners in West Bend, Wisconsin didn’t quite think this one through.
I guess it seemed like a good idea at the time – replace the current incandescent traffic lights with new LED ones that use less energy (thereby doing their bit for the environment) and with an estimated cost saving of $100 a month at each of the 24 traffic intersections where they were introduced that meant a tidy $28,800 extra cash a year to spend elsewhere.
The flaw in this plan became evident with the first heavy fall of snow. Whereas the traditional incandescent lights generated enough heat to melt the falling snow and prevent it sticking to the lights and their hoods, the LED lights generate very little heat – as a result, the build up of snow on the lights made it difficult for motorists to see them.
The LED light problem has already led to a crash at one intersection. In response, four, two-person crews spent Friday using make-shift scrapers to clear the LED lights of the snow.
Hhmm, presumably this manual clearing of snow from the lights will be repeated as and when needed. So much for that $28,800 a year saving !!!
