Starry-eyed resident has qualms about new lights

Farmington residents may have noticed a change in some of the street lights on their blocks.

The city received stimulus funds to buy 130 light-emitting diode street lights, all but 15 of which have been installed.

"We're close to having them all put up," said Gary Rollstin, engineering supervisor for Farmington's Electric Utility System. "We're putting them up on secondary streets and culs-de-sac."

For the most part, the light replacement has gone smoothly, other than one complaint received by Farmington's City Council.

"At the end of Ute Street a light was changed, and I don't know why, but it's very, very bright," said Councilor Mary Fischer. "If it were in my yard, I would be unhappy about it as well."

Fischer went by to see the light in question and agrees it is a definite and noticeable change.

"The other street lights seem to have a pinkish, orangish cast and are much softer," Fischer said.

According to Rollstin, the LED lights shouldn't be that much brighter than the mercury vapor lights they are replacing.

"The mercury vapor kind is pretty much obsolete. The newest one is 35 years old," Rollstin said. "Night sky people don't like mercury vapors very much. We put these up because they give an equivalent amount of light."

According to Rollstin, the biggest difference other than being more efficient with a longer life span, is in the color of the lights.

"Mercury vapor will look a little purple," Rollstin said. "LEDs are whitish bluish, and the other orange lights that you see most everywhere are high pressure sodium."

Fischer believes there are places where LED lights would be fitting, but she questions the most recent placement.

"This was an instance where no one asked for it to be changed." Fischer said. "Now it makes it almost impossible to do any type of stargazing. I think if somebody seriously objects to them, they should switch them back because it is a very noticeable change. But there are certainly times where these would be ideal, like high-crime areas and places that need to be especially well lit."