Bright lights, safe city

Last December — just in time for the late-winter onslaught of driving snow and slippery ice — Plant Operations replaced the 50-year-old streetlamps lining the university’s main drive up to Founder’s Hall with new ones outfitted with brighter, LED bulbs. The new fixtures, which use about 90 percent less energy than the old, incandescent ones, also are about 70 percent brighter and provide wider areas of coverage.

    The eight new lamps — purchased through Plant Ops’ deferred maintenance project budget to replace the six old ones — were installed by an electrical staff team led by Maintenance Shop Manager Jim Schaefer. Alex Kogan, associate vice president of physical facilities and housing, is currently surveying the lighting situation in other areas of campus for possible future upgrades.