The Saline Reporter
A Heritage Newspaper
Weekly Publication
New crosswalk lights to save money
PUBLISHED: April 10, 2008
About 18 months ago, the Michigan Department of Transportation conducted a test in partnership with Michigan State University on crossing Michigan Avenue in downtown Saline.
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MDOT installed LED, or light emitting diode, countdown pedestrian crosswalk signals. The test was to last for 30 days at which time the signals were to be evaluated and, depending on the results, were either to be removed or left in place.
As the 30-day deadline approached, in was quite evident that the crosswalk signals, according the MSU pollsters, were a huge success. MDOT chose to leave signals in place at no cost to the city.
Just a few weeks ago, the city had a second set of LED countdown pedestrian crosswalk signals installed by MDOT at the intersection of Harris Street and Michigan Avenue. The new signals use pictograms of a big red hand and a walking person in a dotted outline in bright LED lights.
The new signals are about the same size as the older signals, and they are rely on dozens of light emitting diodes verses the two bulbs in the older signals.
The benefits of LED lights is that they are about six times cheaper to operate, they last a lot longer and are visible from at least 200 feet away. In addition, the international symbols will make the signals easier for non-English speakers.
For the history buffs, LED lights were discovered by a Russian scientist in 1920 and the first visible LEDs were discovered in 1962 by General Electric.
They produce more light per watt, they are difficult to damage, they are very small, they don't contain mercury and they must have the correct polarity or they will not work.
As time goes on, more of the pedestrian countdown crosswalk signals will be replaced with the LED lights and that will make crossing at an intersection safer and less costly to operate.
So shoppers, if you are on one side of Michigan Avenue, use the countdown crosswalk signals at the four corners or now at the intersection of Michigan and Harris to continue your shopping on the other side of the street. Remember "Shop Downtown Saline".
Art Trapp is the city's downtown director. He can be reached at 429-4907, ext. 210.
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