Contact: Michael Goins
Kentucky Transportation Cabinet
Office of Public Affairs
Executive Director
(502) 564-3419

Light Emitting Diode (LED) Traffic Signals are Being Installed in
Kentucky to Reduce Cost and Improve Efficiency

Change to new technology will save taxpayers more than $1.7 million a year

Frankfort, KY (December 21, 2004)-In an effort to reduce operational cost, improve efficiency and safety for motorists and employees, the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) has partnered with the Finance and Administration Cabinet’s Division of Contracting and Engineering to procure an Energy Savings Performance Contract to retrofit every traffic and pedestrian signal, school flasher and flashing beacon on state maintained routes with GELcore Light Emitting Diode (LED) modules. This contract will allow KYTC to make these upgrades with no capital expenditures by allowing the Cabinet to finance the funds necessary to complete this project. Payback for the financed funds will be made exclusively through the energy cost savings resulting from the upgrades within the first four years.

KYTC anticipates LED modules will be installed in every traffic and pedestrian signal, flashing beacon and school flasher on state maintained routes in six months, with installation beginning in early January of 2005. KYTC Secretary Maxwell C. Bailey stated, “Once this project is complete, it will result in a tremendous savings for the taxpayers of Kentucky. This is one of many projects in our effort to become more efficient and cost effective as directed by Governor Fletcher.” Once complete, Kentucky will be only the second state to utilize LED modules in all their traffic and pedestrian signals, school flashers and flashing beacons. Currently, Delaware is the only state that has completed statewide conversion.

Currently, a standard traffic signal bulb burns 168 watts of energy per bulb each time a bulb is illuminated. In comparison, LED modules burn between 6-20 watts of energy per module. LED modules will reduce yearly energy consumption at signalized intersections by 80-90% verses the current standard traffic signal bulb resulting in approximate savings of $1.7 million per year. A typical utility bill for a signalized traffic intersection on average, costs taxpayers approximately $65.00, once the LED’s are installed we anticipate the bills to drop to an average of $12.00 per intersection. Energy use statewide will drop approximately 30,000,000 kilowatt hours every year, this is enough energy to power approximately 3,000 Kentucky homes. The reduction in energy use is the equivalent of planting 9,280 trees every year or removing over 4,000 cars from the road every year.

Through a competitive selection committee process, KYTC selected Siemens Building Technologies, Inc., to manage the equipment purchase and turnkey installation of the LED modules. Siemens, who will install the modules in approximately 2500 intersections across the state in 180 calendar days, is also guaranteeing the $1.7 million a year in energy savings over a six-year period.

There are additional maintenance savings related to the use of LED modules. The average life span of incandescent bulbs is approximately 10-11 months. KYTC estimates that it expends $1.5 million in salaries and equipment usage annually replacing “burned-out” traffic signal bulbs. The life expectancy of the LED modules is between eight and ten years. KYTC has also experienced a failure rate of less than one percent since state personnel began installing LED modules over two years ago. The personnel and equipment hours that have been previously spent changing “burned out” bulbs can now be spent taking a more proactive approach to preventive maintenance and better operation of our systems and infrastructure.

Said Siemens Business Development Manager Michael Azzara, “The Commonwealth of Kentucky should be commended for proactively using LED technology to reduce energy consumption and lower maintenance cost.”

With the installation of LED modules, motorists should notice improved traffic flow resulting from reduced lane closures caused by KYTC personnel and maintenance contractors changing “burned out” light bulbs. Naturally, this also improves safety and working conditions for KYTC personnel and maintenance contractors. In addition, the increased visibility of the LED modules will allow motorist to better recognize the traffic signal at greater distances and in adverse weather conditions.

About Siemens:
Headquartered in Buffalo Grove, Ill., Siemens Building Technologies, Inc. makes buildings comfortable, safe, productive and less costly to operate. The company focuses on improving the performance of its customers’ buildings, so that its customers can focus on improving their business performance. In the U.S., Siemens Building Technologies employs 7,500 people and provide a full range of services and solutions from more than 100 locations coast-to-coast. Worldwide, the company has 29,000 employees and operates in more than 42 countries.

About GELcore:
GELcore LLC, is the joint venture LED division of Louisville, KY based GE Consumer & Industrial and EMCORCorporation of Somerset, NJ. The company drives innovation, energy efficiency and cost savings for industries that use LED products, systems and solutions. Fitted with patented, low-voltage, long-life LED light engines, GELcore solutions deliver world-class, GE-grade performance for customers around the world.

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