Local Advocate, Reid Nelson wants you to look out for street lights in need of replacement.
The concern: Westar was retrofitting all the city’s old, yellow sodium streetlights with excessively bright-white LED fixtures. The bright color temperature of 4,000 kelvin was causing what the AMA warned was “disability glare.” It also causes excessive light pollution.
The fix: Because of many complaints, Westar has agreed to retrofit streetlights from now on using LED fixtures of a “warmer” color temperature, of 3,000 kelvin. These are a little less glaring! The AMA approves of these. The difference is subtle, with the improved LEDs being still white, but they are very, very slightly yellow. The color is closer to a “soft white” incandescent fixture.
What to do: Please notice when an old, yellow, sodium streetlight is replaced with one of the new LED fixtures, and whether it uses the better type of color. If not, call Lawrence Public Works and ask about it. I’m also available to look, as I think I can spot the difference.
Also, something more to think about: Westar can very easily dim the new LED streetlights, and can also shield them. ELNA could ask Westar to dim some of the excessively bright intersections.
Thanks for your help in keeping Lawrence’s light pollution under control!
Reid Nelson
reid451@yahoo.com
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