Snow-Caked Traffic Lights

Ah yes… another unintended consequence of an environmental policy.

After converting 420 traffic signals to LEDs, the Wisconsin Department of Transportation discovered snow cakes onto the lights and does not melt.

The old light bulbs in the signals burned hot enough to melt snow, but the new light-emitting diodes don’t generate as much heat, so snow and ice can stick to them and block the signals, said Andrew Dirks, WisDOT southeast region electronic operations supervisor. It only occurs when the heavy, sticky snow is blowing, he said.

It is a problem on WisDOT traffic signals across the state, so the agency is testing lenses that cover the lights. For now, crews scrape the lights clean when the department receives complaints, Dirks said.

“We respond to inquiries that we have received from law enforcement,” he said. “We are not staffed to go out and clear 420 intersections.”

Don’t get me wrong, I have nothing against the LED lights and think it’s great that they save cities money, but they really should think these things through before making such a change.