Obsolete Stoplights

[Youngstownshrimp]

So this topic and its posts won't die in vain, how many here think we should call the Street department and bring this subject to their attention and request that the public servants address this issue with rationale?

[AllanY2525]

A small, low temperature heating element wouldn't be too hard to come up with.  All you have to
do is keep the diffuser (sp?) lense on the signal light at a temperature of 35 or so above zero.
as ice begins to melt above 32 degrees.

If the signal light has the metal hoods covering the lamps from above and partially on the side,
then this would keep most of the snow from building up on the diffuser lenses in the first place.

Next, you find an auto glass manufacturer (LOCALLY) who can make a small, round "rear windshield"
out of safety glass, complete with the little wires embedded in the glass (the "rear defogger" element
in your car, only MUCH smaller)

The heating element in your rear windshield runs at 12 volts, and probably around 8 to 10 amps (?)

This small lense would use only a tiny fraction of the power - could probably run it on 6 volts with
less than 1 amp of current.

There you have it.... I think.....maybe....

[Youngstownshrimp]

How about de-icer like airplanes?  Can't be costly.

[northside lurker]

I meant to add this a few days ago.

The #1 killer of LED bulbs is heat.  Staying cool is inherent to their design, and is why they last so long.  Although, I suppose putting some kind of heating element in the stoplight housing, (in those hoods over the light, for example) keeping it just warm enough to melt snow and ice probably would be OK.

[Rick Rowlands]

Probably invent a new type of LED lightbulb that also emits heat.  They will call it the LEDcandescent bulb.

[Why?Town]

LED traffic lights have been inplicated in numberous winter traffic accidents.

Apparently the efficiency of LEDs keeps them from getting hot enough to melt snow which can effectively block the light from drivers' view.

I imagine someone's working on a solution.

[Rick Rowlands]

I agree, although the fuel wasted from idling autos dwarfs the amount of electric wasted using incandescents.  During any signal upgrade new LEDs should be installed.  This is one thing that can be done to lessen energy consumption while not confiscating the wealth of Americans ala cap n tax.

[AllanY2525]

I think the city should also consider replacing the older traffic signals with newer,
more energy efficient models as they wear out and die, etc.  The older signal
lights that use incandescent bulbs burn a lot more electricity than the newer
ones.

[Rick Rowlands]

It is unfortunate that the Mr. Swierz no longer participates on this forum.  Perhaps he could have educated us about the process for evaluation and removal of functionally obsolescent traffic signals. Many of these signals were installed to address traffic problems that no longer exist now that much of the population on those feeder streets has moved out. 

One wonders why the environmental movement has not championed the cause of traffic signal upgrades, since it is obvious to see that a tremendous amount of fuel is wasted, and pollution created, by vehicles sitting unnecessarily at traffic signals.  Every traffic signal should either be removed from service or have sensors installed so that the days of waiting at a red light when there is no conflicting traffic is a thing of the past.

[Youngstownshrimp]

While hauling topsoil in my dumptruck from the eastside to the amphitheatre that I am building in Poland, I noticed that there seems to be obsolete stoplights along route 7 , one after the road leading to Masonry Materials Plus, one at the corner of Victor and also one bad one entering the McGuffey Plaza.  It seems to me that the City or State can save a lot of money if they remove these stoplights.  I recall even on the southside where on Hillman many of these lights remain active.