Good Question: What’s with all the bright lights?

ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WHEC) — News10NBC’s latest Good Question: What’s with all the bright lights?

You may see the new LED lights along the highways and expressways on your way to work. They’ve been popping up more recently on the east side from 590, going out to Webster on 104.

So what’s happening? The short answer is long-overdue repairs to not only increase safety but to save taxpayers’ money.

Work got underway a year ago when county officials broke ground on the multi-year project last October. Crews are making their way across town, swapping out the old — sometimes burned out lights — for what county officials describe as highly resilient, consistent, uniform, and energy-efficient lighting. The final step in converting to LEDs will start in 2023.

The lighting rehab project comes with a price tag of $24 million. County officials say this would cut energy consumption by 50% and save $150,000 each year.

Here’s the latest project update News10NBC’s Brennan Somers got from the Monroe County Department of Transportation this week.

Crews have already completed:

• NY 390 from I-490 to West Ridge Road
• I-490 from I-390 to Union Street

Two more areas are under construction:

• NY 104 from Goodman Street to Salt Road
• NY 590 from I-490 to NY 104

These two projects will continue into 2021, with most of the LED conversions being completed before this winter.

Three more projects are in design:

• NY 104 from Goodman Street to the Genesee River will be under construction in 2021.
• I-590 from I-490 to Monroe Avenue will be under construction in 2022.
• I-490 from I-590 to Exit 28 (Route 96 by Eastview Mall) will also be under construction in 2022.

A final project to complete the expressway system conversion to LEDs will be under construction in 2023. The design has not started yet.
All projects are converting the lighting to LEDs, replacing damaged poles, repairing conduit and pull box problems, and updating power points as needed.

The New York State Department of Transportation is also working on highway lighting around the I-390/I-490 interchange. Work on an all-new system that will replace that lighting is partially complete.

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