UPDATE, January 20, 2011
In an email from KW Hydro to the KW RASC Light Abatement Committee and
the Region of Waterloo, it was indicated that the problematic street
lights along Ira Needles were now all leveled. But upon investigating
this claim, it was noticed that many, if not mostly all, of these
street lights appeared unchanged.
After further discussions on this and regarding the incorrect angle of
FCO (full cut off) street lights along Ira Needles Blvd, in Kitchener,
it was decided by Kitchener-Wilmot Hydro and The Region of Waterloo
that the remaining lights which were tilted up would not be corrected.
Two reasons stood out in this decision; the design would not allow
further adjustment and the level of light output from these lights was
not considered significant enough to cause any problems due to an
upward tilt of the fixture.
A few street lights afflicted with this problem may not, but if more
are installed this way, if not all, then that now amounts to a much
larger problem in terms of light pollution.
The problem causing these light fixtures to not be flat with the
ground, as FCO should be, turned out to be more than an installation
error. The design itself of these FCO street lights selected for use on
our roadways in Kitchener, was flawed. It does not allow for the
fixture to be angled flat to the ground. And by looking at a number of
them as they are, it seems this problem extends beyound the +/- 5deg
leeway allowed, as some fixtures are angled up far more than this,
while others are less and a few are actually flat to the ground.
Regardless of the design not allowing for flat to the ground
installation, the magnitude of variation in these street light angles,
from one to another, is severe. Showing that far more care needs to be
placed on work crews installing these FCO lights on our roads. It also
begs the question, if one can be made near flat to the ground, why
can’t the one beside it?
The fixtures have a level on the top of them that the installer can use
to level the light flat to the ground. The design of the fixture is
such that the light does not need to be angled up to reach the center
of the roadway. It’s internal design (of the FCO) allows for the light
to be aimed at the center of the roadway while still remaining flat to
the ground.
However, the level seems to be an inaccurate means to gage the correct
angle of the FCO light since other variables can, and are, at work such
as poles not perpendicular to the ground and design flaws with the
fixture itself.
It was indicated that the Ira Needles street lights may be of a
different design than what is being used currently. This other design
of FCO did not allow them to be angled correctly to the ground.
However, looking around the city of Kitchener at different FCO
installations, they all appear to be the same as far as one can tell
from the ground. Requests to KW Hydro for the make/model of the Ira
Needles FCO design and the current design being used (which was
indirectly suggested to be better) went unanswered.
It was indicated that installation crews would be advised of the
importance to ensure that proper angling (flat) to the ground of FCO
street lights in Kitchener would be observed for future installations.
Whether this will truly be the case has yet to be seen.
Requests to the Region of Waterloo as to their position on FCO street
light angles and chosen decision in this case have gone unanswered. In
a 2006 Transportational and Environmental Services Report to the Region
of Waterloo, it was indicated that FCO luminaires (lights) would be
used on regional roads due to concerns by members of the public
regarding obtrusive light (sky glow, spill light (light trespass) and
glare. Do FCO street lights tilted up and not flat to the ground
not fall under obtrusive light?
One would think in keeping with this 2006 report that the Region of
Waterloo would require tougher guidelines to be adhered to for the
angle in relation to the ground of FCO street lights by cities and
townships within it’s jurisdiction.
If you know of new street light installations in your area or have
street lights that appear to be angled up, please let us know. An email
can be sent to the Light Abatement Committee of the KW RASC at lpa(at)kw.rasc.ca
Shawn Nielsen
Team Lead, KW RASC Light Abatement Committee.