It might have seemed like a great idea for cities to replace the old bulbs in their stoplights with energy-efficient, “environmentally friendly” bulbs. After all, that would save on electricity costs, right?
Well, maybe not.
The very thing that makes the bulbs so efficient – the fact that they don’t squander energy by generating heat – has caused a serious problem during this winter of big snowstorms. Unlike traditional bulbs, energy-efficient bulbs do not get warm enough to melt off snow and ice. As a result, dozens of accidents and at least one death have been blamed on the fact that drivers couldn’t see the encrusted lights.
“I’ve never had to put up with this in the past,” a Wisconsin driver told The Associated Press after the hard-to-see stoplights caused him to wreck.
Adding insult to injury, the “fixes” proposed to solve this manmade problem may destroy the very savings that were promised with the energy-efficient bulbs. In St. Paul, Minn., for instance, city crews have been going stoplight to stoplight with air compressors to clear away snow and ice.