Midwest Seeing Red Over 'Green' Traffic Lights

theodp writes "Many municipalities have switched to LED traffic signals because they burn brighter, last longer and use 90% less energy than incandescent bulbs. But they also emit less heat, meaning they sometimes have trouble melting snow, causing problems across the Midwest. In Wisconsin, snow blanketed LED traffic lights in some towns, leading to crashes at intersections where drivers weren't sure whether to stop or go. The unintended consequences of the green technology were also identified as a 'contributing factor' in the death of an Illinois woman hit by a driver who blamed the snow-covered energy-efficient signal for giving the appearance of a normal green light instead of a left-turn signal. 'We can remove the snow with heat, but the cost of doing that in terms of energy use has not brought any enthusiasm from cities and states that buy these signals,' said the CEO of an LED traffic-signal manufacturer. 'They'd like to be able to take away this issue, but they don't want to spend the money and lose the savings.' In the meantime, some towns are addressing sporadic problems by dispatching crews to remove snow or ice from signals using poles, brooms, and heating devices." We were discussing these recently at the office — several folks in the building are red/green color blind and different street lights are differently distinguishable.

Re:No issues in Canada

[Anonymous Coward]

"I've never seen one obstructed by snow."

Yea, because you couldn't see it.

Re:Good Advice

[alen]

God forbid someone spends an extra 10 seconds waiting. it will ruin their whole day

Re:Too bad we don't have rules to deal with this

[Hognoxious]

If you get to an intersection and the light isn't working or isn't visible, you treat it like a four-way stop.

He did - he went straight through just like anyone driving a Dodge RAM does.

Not a problem

[paiute]

My town mistakenly ordered IED lights. These remove their own snow.

Re:Too bad we don't have rules to deal with this

[geekoid]

Then it's an obscured light and treat it as such, maybe you should Read The Fucking Traffic Laws.

Re:Not a problem

[Kozz]

"We used to dream of having IED lights!"

My town ordered IUD lights, and I can tell you there was much argument about their installation.

Re:Too bad we don't have rules to deal with this

[ColdWetDog]

You're Australian and talk to US about bizaare? YOU guys drive on the wrong side of the road. YOU guys eat Vegemite. That alone ought to keep you out of the running for a civilized country. And you have really strange [treehugger.com] traffic signals.

Y'all have nothing on us.

Radioisotopes

[laughing_badger]

This is an opportunity, not a problem. Pack the lights with a nice long half-life radioisotope that we want to dispose of and let them melt their own snow. That way we still get all of the green benefits of LED over incandescent.

Re:Too bad we don't have rules to deal with this

[JetTredmont]

Of course. You will obviously save more energy by using a heat-generating bulb 24/7/365 than adding a heat source which kicks on when needed (either by direct control or by a sensor).

This is why I took out all my light switches and just leave my lights and appliances running all the time. It saves me time and energy! Plus, with all those lights on, I run my heater less in the winter! Doubleplusgood savings!

gas

[pbjones]

all of our lights should be gas powered with mechanical shutters to change which lamp is visible. And we could have a small booth with each intersection that housed a person to operate the signals, giving them employment and shelter in winter. As for the LED lights, a bit of research would have helped, it's not as if the entire world suddenly woke up to find LEDs instead of incandescent globe, offs!