Improving visibility and saving money with LED lights on Southeast King County roads

Drivers on a number of unincorporated roads throughout King County should expect to see improved street lights. As part of the King County Council’s initiative to save energy, cut costs, and improve visibility for drivers, several roads are in the process of receiving new energy-saving light emitting diode (LED) lights.

April 22, 2016 4:35 pm

Drivers on a number of unincorporated roads throughout King County should expect to see improved street lights. As part of the King County Council’s initiative to save energy, cut costs, and improve visibility for drivers, several roads are in the process of receiving new energy-saving light emitting diode (LED) lights.

Metropolitan King County Council Vice Chair Reagan Dunn endorsed the legislation that allocated $445,000 to the King County Road Services Division’s budget for the new lights, almost a third of which will go towards roads in unincorporated southeast King County. In addition, the Road Services Division secured a conservation grant from Puget Sound Energy amounting to $102,043.

“I support projects like these that cut costs, save energy, and make our roads safer,” said Dunn. “I am especially pleased that this work will help to serve the needs of unincorporated communities that rely on our roads to get them where they need to be.”

The King County Road Services Division is replacing 676 of the county’s high pressure sodium and metal halide fixtures with light emitting diode (LED) lights. Some examples of roads that have already received or will soon have new lights include SE Petrovitsky Rd, 140th Ave SE and 171st Way in the community of Fairwood, 154th Ave SE and SE 128th St in the East Renton Plateau unincorporated community, SE Issaquah Hobart Rd and further south Lake Sawyer Rd SE, SE Green River Gorge Rd. and the Auburn Black Diamond Rd.

Crews have moved into the Enumclaw area for this week’s work.

“Replacing these fixtures with energy-saving LED lights will save the equivalent of 510,216 kWh, or enough energy to power 84 homes,” said Brenda Bauer, Road Services Division Director. “These savings will free up resources for the maintenance and preservation of other key infrastructure as well as help the county meet its environmental goals.”

The County’s Road Services Division is responsible for maintenance of about 1,500 miles of roads in unincorporated King County along with 181 bridges and related infrastructure.