Glendale Goes Green With New LED Traffic Lights

GLENDALE, AZ---Drivers in Glendale will be using two kinds of green at city traffic lights: green energy and brighter green lights. Glendale’s Transportation Department has upgraded traffic lights citywide to LED in an effort to conserve energy and reduce costs. LED, or light-emitting diode, last longer, use less power to energize and have a robust sharpness compared to regular lights.

A grant from the Department of Energy enabled the city to complete the conversion of LED lights throughout Glendale.  The grant enabled 30 intersections to be converted making all of Glendale’s 190 signalized intersections equipped with LED lighting.  

The higher quality lamps will require less maintenance, resulting in fewer lane closures due to repairs.  Energy and cost savings are substantial, with anticipated savings of $92,000 in annual maintenance and $65,520 in annual energy costs for the newly converted intersections.  Total energy and maintenance savings for the 30 intersections will be around $157,520 annually.  With 40 lights (red, green, yellow) per intersection the total conversion of 7,600 lights to LED has savings comparable to the amount of power generated for 300 homes annually.  

The city’s commitment to being green continues with the old traffic lights.  Hundreds of reflectors, lenses and bulbs will be auctioned in July and recycled.  For more information on Glendale’s Transportation Department visit: www.glendaleaz.com/transportation or call 623-930-2940 and to learn more about Glendale’s green efforts, click on www.glendaleaz.com/green.

Photo : The old lights were housed with two components – a bulb and a reflector unit.