The last batch of lights are going up on Riverwatch Parkway after the manufacturer had to repair each of the two hundred fixtures lining the four mile stretch of divided highway.
A bad gasket was to blame, causing the lights to fill with water and burn out.
According to Chris Murray, Operations Manager for Augusta’s Street Light Department (and former Metro Spirit cartoonist), now that the fixtures have all been replaced, the lights should theoretically last for five years before needing to be replaced.
This actual life of the bulbs is closer to two years or so the department has found.
The city is exploring changing the bulbs to LED, but the high voltage required for such a legnthy run of lights is making finding a suitable alternative tricky.
As far as Riverwatch goes, local drivers can expect to see a lot less of the bucket trucks blocking lanes moving forward. Over the past few months, they have been replaced 75 at a time, with today being the last 35.