The City of Lethbridge is working to install roughly 11, 00 LED fixtures to replace the existing high-pressure sodium lights across the city.
The move is expected to cut the city’s electricity use in half and will save roughly a million dollars a year.
Lighting Manager Fred Shaw tells Global News the new fixtures will also reduce management cost because they last four times longer than traditional bulbs.
“There’s approximately 4, 500 LED fixtures in south Lethbridge that we’re changing and then we’re going to be moving to north and west side later this fall,” he adds.
The fixtures are credited for aiming the light in specific directions like a road or sidewalk, but not everyone think they’re such a bright idea.
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One resident say the fixtures give off too much glare.
“Especially the one that faces our backyard, our bedrooms on the back of the house and it can be a little too bright,” he adds.
The most obvious change with LED lights is the color.
Shaw says the fixtures give off more of a blue or white haze.
“They do appear brighter because of the blue light. As well there might be a slight increase in the lighting level due to the fact that the old lights have depreciated in their lighting level,” he adds.
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For those concerned with light pollution, it’s that change in color temperature that may affect the environment and people’s behavior.
Managing Director of the International Dark-Sky Association Scott Kardel says LED lights can deceive human eye receptors that help to know when it’s daytime.
“Blue color of light tunes our body to think it’s daytime…and that can lead to problems like sleeping problems but also long term health problems,” he adds/
Despite a few concerns, most residents seem to enjoy the new fixtures because of increased visibility and keeping thieves at bay.
The replacement program costs $7.5 million and is funded from federal gas tax grants.
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