Picture This!
What's
new this week in transportation
Bright ideas for conserving electricity
 A
new energy-saving LED lamp is prepared at the King County Road Services shop in
Renton for installation in a county traffic signal. The LEDs are
also used in pedestrian signals like this one at Southeast 310th and 124th
(right).
Even as the region is hit by a shortage of
electricity, King County has been taking steps to save energy and
improve traffic safety by pioneering the use of light-emitting diode (LED)
lamps in traffic signals and pedestrian lights. Although the initial cost to buy
an LED is higher than a standard incandescent bulb, the LEDs last
more than 12 times longer and use up to 90 percent less
electricity. The energy savings is
estimated to be $7150 a year for just the intersection flashers in
unincorporated King County. The increased intensity of the new lamps
also make the lights easier to see from a distance.
Last year in
unincorporated King County, King County replaced more than 80 percent of the intersection flashers and 5 percent of our signals with the red LED lamps. The
remaining red lamps for our flashers and signals will be replaced by the
end of this year. With our contract cities, we replaced all the red lamps
with LEDs last year in SeaTac and are now working with Shoreline, Burien, Federal Way and Sammamish.
Metro Transit is also using LEDs to replace the
bulbs in the many "exit" signs in all bus maintenance
shops. Metro is also working with Puget Sound Energy on a program to
shift maintenance work on buses to off-peak hours after 7 p.m., to save
money on the lower cost of energy after-hours.
Related links
"Seeing Signals in a New Light,"
Los Angeles Times, Feb. 4, 2001 (payment required)
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