The Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) of Dubai in the UAE has completed the replacement of 14,400 traditional lighting units with LED lights, considered much more energy efficient that forerunners like halogen lighting.
The project involved re-engineering the operating systems of tunnel lighting units and night road crossings, replacing them with sustainable and LED lights, the public transportation service provider said. The upgrade covered 39 tunnels and crossings, spanning a total distance of 22.6 km.
“This six-month project entailed some of Dubai’s prominent tunnels, including the Airport Tunnel, Shindagha Tunnel, Dubai Mall Tunnel, and the Dubai World Trade Centre Tunnel,” stated Maitha bin Adai, CEO of Traffic and Roads Agency, RTA.
LED lighting units offer numerous eco-friendly features compared to traditional lights. They are estimated to consume 60 percent less energy and have an extended lifespan, up to 177 percent longer than older lights.
“The new lights have a lifespan of 50,000 hours, compared to 18,000 hours for conventional lighting units, which reduces the frequency of lights replacements and minimizes maintenance and operational costs,” added bin Adai. “Furthermore, compared to traditional lamps there’s a 20 percent reduction in energy loss and heat emissions, enhancing the efficiency of both the units’ lighting operational system and the tunnels’ energy supply network.”
When installing the new lighting units, the RTA says it carefully evaluated the level of brightness and color clarity inside Dubai’s tunnels to ensure optimal visibility for road users, thereby enhancing traffic safety.
“The LED lighting units offer a lighting intensity of 6000 lumens compared to 4000 lumens for older lamps, improving the lighting quality. These units do not include environmentally harmful chemicals, like mercury found in traditional lights, which serves RTA and Dubai’s vision of achieving environmental sustainability,” bin Adai said.
