LAS VEGAS, Nevada (FOX5) — US 95 is noticeably brighter south of the Spaghetti Bowl around Charleston. The stretch of road features brand new LED lights in the middle of the northbound and southbound lanes.
This improvement is especially helpful for people who do not see well at night.
FOX5 noticed several dark highway lights on this section of US 95 in 2022. After alerting NDOT, officials told FOX5 the lights were out due to a theft of copper wiring.
NDOT said it would repair the lights immediately, but decided to incorporate the work into the 95 Charleston construction project. NDOT just confirmed to FOX5 that the new lights are now installed and functional.
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“When the lights are turned off on some of these major routes like the 95 or the 515 that so many people use to commute every day, it reduces safety in that area. And it’s frustrating for the crews that work so hard to install that lighting,” said NDOT spokeswoman Kelsey McFarland.
Copper wire thefts from streetlights are a major problem throughout the valley. McFarland says emergency crews have installed heavy covers over copper wire access points to prevent thefts.
“Each lid weighs up to 800 pounds, so you basically need a forklift to be able to move some of these lids,” McFarland said.
She also says there is a pilot program with cameras on I-15.
“With surveillance cameras, we can detect any type of vandalism or theft on NDOT trails. And essentially, it gives security personnel the ability to detect and respond to thefts along I-15 in real time,” McFarland said.
McFarland also says safety patrols are out looking for suspicious activity around highway lights to combat the problem.
“It has helped significantly in preventing theft,” she said.
McFarland says the new LED lights are significantly more energy efficient than traditional lights, generating less heat and requiring less maintenance. She also says they provide greater light output despite using lower wattage.
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