NYC traffic lights

[Roadman66]

Why did NYC boroughs change their traffic lights to LED lighting? Better question, how come several states are switching over to LED lighting for traffic lights? NJ, PA, DE, FL, MD you name it. I enjoy the old lighting.

[NE2]

Power consumption is more important than your personal desires.

[Scott5114]

LEDs do consume less power, and the diodes last far longer than any incandescent bulb.

Eventually, as the cost comes down, LEDs will probably start replacing incandescent and fluorescent bulbs in many other places, not just stoplights. I work on slot machines, and a lot of the newer models have replaced the fluorescent tubes used to light up the machine glass with strips of LEDs. Smaller, less prone to flicker, less breakable, less power-hungry...pretty much objectively superior in every way.

[Quillz]

As I noted in another topic, this isn't an isolated incident. California is also beginning to install LED lights. They are brighter, cheaper and last far longer.

Yes, they do look a bit awkward, but it's one of those things that will grow on you once you see them hundreds and hundreds of times over the next few years.

[Brian556]

Not only do they consume less power, but they produce much stronger colors, which looks better. Almost all of our signals in Texas are LED. I drove into Tennessee at night a year ago and it was weird seeing all incandecents. I though to myself: "Man, this place is stuck in the past".

[US71]

LEDs do consume less power, and the diodes last far longer than any incandescent bulb.

In theory, at least. Fort Smith has been changing over for the last 2-3 years and even more so this last Summer. Yet, some of the signals already have diodes that have burned out, leaving odd "streaks" across the lens.

I have noticed on some signals, you can see the individual LED's. On others, you can't... just the signal lens.

[Duke87]

LEDs do consume less power, and the diodes last far longer than any incandescent bulb.

In theory, at least. Fort Smith has been changing over for the last 2-3 years and even more so this last Summer. Yet, some of the signals already have diodes that have burned out, leaving odd "streaks" across the lens.

This is a symptom of manufacturing defects. Good quality LEDs should last at least 100,000 hours of burn time (that's 11½ years if on constantly).

[roadman65]

Why did NYC boroughs change their traffic lights to LED lighting? Better question, how come several states are switching over to LED lighting for traffic lights? NJ, PA, DE, FL, MD you name it. I enjoy the old lighting.

LED lights are basically cost effiecient!

[thenetwork]

Yes, they do look a bit awkward, but it's one of those things that will grow on you once you see them hundreds and hundreds of times over the next few years.

In my neck of the woods, nearly all the traffic lights are now LEDs.   The few "endangered" intersections of non-LED signals are now my favorite...I never realized how much I liked the old lights which have that "soft switch" look when the lights would change color.

The newer LED lights, while being very nice and bright, are too crisp or strong when they change color.  In other words, the new lights don't have that fraction of a second when the bulb would fade-in or fade-out when changing anymore.  Occasionally, there are a few intersections in which there is a brief millisecond when the lights are all out between changes, that looks cool, but the bottom line is that they don't have that gentle phasing like they used to.  Same thing can be said for older flashing beacons.

It's true what they say that sometimes you don't realize how good something is until it's (almost) gone. 

[Quillz]

LEDs do consume less power, and the diodes last far longer than any incandescent bulb.

In theory, at least. Fort Smith has been changing over for the last 2-3 years and even more so this last Summer. Yet, some of the signals already have diodes that have burned out, leaving odd "streaks" across the lens.

I have noticed on some signals, you can see the individual LED's. On others, you can't... just the signal lens.

Just bad diodes due to poor manufacturing. Although, there will always be a certain small number of bad diodes that are considered tolerable, similar to "dead pixels" on either a computer or television display.

[Revive 755]

^ It seems to be more related to the design of the lens.  Some traffic lights have a lens that disperses light from the LEDs more, while others just have a clear sheet of plastic between the board with the LEDs and the motoring public.

[Dr Frankenstein]

The MTQ made the switch too. New or replaced signals use LEDs.

In fact, it's been a while, because there are many shaped-lens signals which use LEDs.

[roadman65]

You know when the standard orange mercury lighting came out, I hated it!  Now they grew on me and so will these new different lighting at signals.

[Duke87]

You know when the standard orange mercury lighting came out, I hated it!  Now they grew on me and so will these new different lighting at signals.

The orange lighting is High Pressure Sodium (HPS). Mercury Vapor lamps glow cool blue/green. They're pretty much extinct nowadays (been illegal to install them new for years), although I did see some in a parking garage in White Plains recently (which should be getting replaced as I type this).

[SignBridge]

Illegal? Are you sure about that Duke? Within the last 10 years, in Mineola, Long Island  new mercury vapor lamps were installed on the new Mineola Blvd. overpass over the L.I. Railroad. I was surprised, but that's what they have. Also many private parking lots, especially at shopping centers still use mercury vapor lamps, some quite new.

Pardon my skepticism over the word "illegal". I've been told many things thru the years by many people about what was legal and illegal and most of those people didn't know what they were talking about when I researched whatever subject it was.  

[roadman65]

You know when the standard orange mercury lighting came out, I hated it!  Now they grew on me and so will these new different lighting at signals.

The orange lighting is High Pressure Sodium (HPS). Mercury Vapor lamps glow cool blue/green. They're pretty much extinct nowadays (been illegal to install them new for years), although I did see some in a parking garage in White Plains recently (which should be getting replaced as I type this).

Turkey Lake Road in Orlando, FL next to Universal Studios has the old mercury lighting.  It was to resemble Hollywood Boulevard or one major road in Hollywood, CA that uses (or did use them in 88 when I was there) and still Orlando has them there 22 years later. 

CR 532 in Osceola County, FL uses them with antique looking posts where it was widened to four lanes near I-4.

[Duke87]

Illegal? Are you sure about that Duke? Within the last 10 years, in Mineola, Long Island  new mercury vapor lamps were installed on the new Mineola Blvd. overpass over the L.I. Railroad. I was surprised, but that's what they have. Also many private parking lots, especially at shopping centers still use mercury vapor lamps, some quite new.

They were banned effective 2008 by a law passed in 2005.

[nyratk1]

LEDs do consume less power, and the diodes last far longer than any incandescent bulb.

Eventually, as the cost comes down, LEDs will probably start replacing incandescent and fluorescent bulbs in many other places, not just stoplights. I work on slot machines, and a lot of the newer models have replaced the fluorescent tubes used to light up the machine glass with strips of LEDs. Smaller, less prone to flicker, less breakable, less power-hungry...pretty much objectively superior in every way.

And quite a bit more flexible in terms of traffic usage. It's a lot easier to have things like bimodal arrows and countdown pedestrian signals now.

Also most of the LED fixtures where you can see individual LEDs are going the way of the dodo with the exception of some arrow, lane control and pedestrian displays. Most manufacturers offer incandescent style LED fixtures now.

[SignBridge]

Thanks Duke. I did some checking and it seems you are correct. I hadn't heard this before. Those streetlights installed in Mineola are from around 2003. I don't know why they used mercury vapor instead of sodium vapor.

[architect77]

North Carolina started an initiative back in 2005 to convert every signal in the state to LED's, stating that they used only a fraction of power of the incadescents and lasted many times longer.

[vtk]

A recent edition of the Franklin County, OH official map states that all (county-maintained) traffic lights in the county are being upgraded to LEDs.

[Ian]

I've noticed that there still is a surprisingly large amount of incandescent signals left in Maryland. Last time I was there (this past June), about half the signal installs I've seen were incandescent.

[SignBridge]

Sometimes it's hard to recognize LED lights. Some of us recently found out that there are different kinds of lenses used. On some you readily see the LED honeycomb when the light is lit. But on others, there is almost no noticable difference from an incandescent type. So you might not know it's been changed to an LED light.

[US71]

Sometimes it's hard to recognize LED lights. Some of us recently found out that there are different kinds of lenses used. On some you readily see the LED honeycomb when the light is lit. But on others, there is almost no noticable difference from an incandescent type. So you might not know it's been changed to an LED light.

LED's appear to change faster... not as much "afterglow".

[Ace10]

If you look closely at the lens, you can easily tell. If it looks like a very smooth lens with no texture, it's most likely LED. If you see circles or lines (that look like a Fresnel lens) it's most likely incandescent. Also a bunch of incandescent signals in my area have a dark dot in the very center - like the incandescent light is so hot, it burned the middle of the lens!