It seems that new LED lights keep burning out. I thought the reason for them was that they save money by lasting longer (in addition to using less energy). Why do we have to tolerate these TOO BRIGHT lights in the wrong light fixtures (ones that does not screen for LED glaring sideways light) against the Amherst standards of light pollution and have them burn out prematurely. Could it be that the fixtures are not safe for these new bulbs?!

Thank you for your concern. This issue has been received by our department. We will look into this issue further and resolve it accordingly.

Our light fixtures do not have bulbs. They are one unit LED constructions. The entire fixture is designed start to finish as an LED. Every light fixture was replaced with an entirely new fixture. Typically when one goes out, it is due to a power loss. All the top of pole lights in Amherst are fed by direct buried cables. Which are easily severed by careless excavation equipment operators. The town owns the lights and poles, Eversource controls the electricity. The connections for which are not accessible to the Town electrician. So when we lose power to a light, the area must be surveyed. Dig-safe called and inspected. Coordination with the Eversource for reconnection. New trench made, and new wires installed in a conduit ( for added protection). Then we have to wait on Eversource to reconnect the power. Also making allowances for temperature and weather. We can't excavate or mark for excavation in the rain, or repave when it's too cold.
Lumen wise(visible light measurement) the lights are no brighter than the originals. They are a different color temperature. Shifted from red to white for better visual resolution. A lighting survey was performed by a third party lighting engineer, to ensure that the Town complied with all Federal and state safety standards. Several plans were produced. The most effective plan chosen and implemented. All of which was approved by the select board.
The new fixtures do save a tremendous amount of energy. In most cases they are using 25% of what the originals used.

I reported this issue last Tuesday, October 31, Issue ID: 3833345. On November 1 the issue was closed by Electrical Div Foreman (Verified Official). Although I reopened the issue, there has been no acknowledgement. I have added additional details, including the pole numbers, in a comment to my original report.

Issue 3833345 has been marked as a duplicate of this issue.

Issue 3851654 has been marked as a duplicate of this issue.

What is the color temperature in degrees Kelvin. That’s the only true indicator of how “warm” or “cool” the light output will be and that is important from the perspective of how the neighbors experience the lighting, as it hits and comes into their homes in the middle of the night.
What is currently used in this older neighborhood is way too harsh and visually abrasive. We don’t want your neighborhood pole lights looking like a gas station!

I spoke with the DPW worker who came out to check the Gatehouse Road streetlights this week. He emphasized that only the lights at the top of the poles are maintained by the town and that Eversource is responsible for the buried cables. He said a service request would be submitted to Eversource and then we just have to wait. I wrote to Eversource on November 9 and received this reply from Kenneth, Customer Service Representative: "We are showing that the streetlights in the town of Amherst are maintained and serviced by the Town Of Amherst DPW. There presently has been no tickets entered by Amherst DPW if they are requesting our assistance. We only repair private area lights and we are not showing any accounts for the lights you are indicating. You will need to proceed with inquiry about repair of the street lights with the Amherst DPW."

Please do SOMETHING about this problem. Gatehouse Road is pitch black at night, there is early darkness now, and there is heavy pedestrian traffic because people walk to Hampshire Athletic Club and the three PVTA bus stops. This is a dangerous situation. The pole between Chadwick Court and Eaton Court is #207-4 ML and the pole opposite Winston Court is #3. The metal pole at Webster Court has no number. The streetlight near the intersection of Gatehouse Road and Route 9, pole #207-1, is still functioning. The other three streetlights on Gatehouse Road have been out since the power outages following the storm on October 29-30. I do not think that the problem was caused by buried cables that were “severed by careless excavation equipment operators.”

Issue 3891439 has been marked as a duplicate of this issue.

The portion of this utility issue that is maintained and serviced by the Town of Amherst is functioning. The issue lies with electricity provided through underground service lines that are maintained by Eversource. Eversource has been notified of the issue, and we are waiting for service through them which has been delayed by emergency responses due to storms throughout New England.

Please answer my question of 11/7:
What is the color temperature in degrees Kelvin?
That’s the only true indicator of how “warm” or “cool” the light output will be and that is important from the perspective of how the neighbors experience the lighting, as it hits and comes into their homes in the middle of the night.
What is currently used (the change was over a year ago - when the LEDs were installed) in this older neighborhood, is way too harsh and visually abrasive. We don’t want our neighborhood pole lights looking like those in a gas station! It is unhealthy for people to be exposed to this type of lighting in their own yards and homes!

Re. Kelvin and color temperature...the lights are 4,000 K, which is within the Cool White range and emit a nearly a neutral white light.

Re. Underground lines...After a consult with Eversource, the break of the lines does not occur in an easily accessible vault. Therefore, the repair of the underground lines will require a major excavation which will be performed by the Amherst DPW. The timing of this is going to be subjected to the current late Fall/Winter weather conditions.

Issue 4079361 has been marked as a duplicate of this issue.

The three streetlights on Gatehouse Road have now been out for more than six months. The ground is certainly no longer frozen. When will the repair of the underground service line be scheduled?

Julie, with all due respect, I think you might want to survey the neighbors on Stony Hill Road before you keep insisting that one of these abrasive lights being out is causing such harm up here on the hill. If you do not need to walk this section of road at night, why do you persist in trying to get this light fixture fixed?! No one else seems to be complaining. Perhaps that is because the lights that are currently working cover the area adequately. The distance between the fixtures was designed originally for the incandescent lighting and therefore is too close for these. They certainly are TOO BRIGHT! I happen to know that one of the neighbors on Stony Hill Road built a high walled deck to shield their house from the lights after the LED fixtures were installed because the light came into their bedroom and disturbed their sleep! If you walk around inside any house up here, you too would see that the light comes deep into the rooms that do not have curtains pulled and even with them the light seepage around the curtains is so bright, no one needs to turn on a light in the middle of the night when they get up and move around inside their homes. This is obviously objectionable! I say we should let it go and instead ask for the old bulb/lighting back! If the bulbs on those fixtures went they were much more easily fixed.

I will add that having heard back from the DPW Administrative Analyst that the lighting is 4000k, the town should consider their obligation to follow their lighting rules (ARTICLE 7 PARKING & ACCESS REGULATIONS - the light intrusion references) and consider the following:
The AMA has made three recommendations in its new policy statement from http://theconversation.com/american-medical-association-warns-of-health-and-safety-problems-from-white-led-streetlights-61191:

First, the AMA supports a “proper conversion to community based Light Emitting Diode (LED) lighting, which reduces energy consumption and decreases the use of fossil fuels.”

Second, the AMA “encourage[s] minimizing and controlling blue-rich environmental lighting by using the lowest emission of blue light possible to reduce glare.”

Third, the AMA “encourage[s] the use of 3000K or lower lighting for outdoor installations such as roadways. All LED lighting should be properly shielded to minimize glare and detrimental human and environmental effects, and consideration should be given to utilize the ability of LED lighting to be dimmed for off-peak time periods.”

I believe the town of Amherst has decided to ignore both their own and the AMA suggestions for shielding and Kelvin levels. In addition according to Richard G. "Bugs" Stevens
Professor, School of Medicine, University of Connecticut, the AMA’s recommendation for CCT below 3000K is not quite enough to be sure that blue light is minimized. The actual spectral irradiance of the LED – the relative amounts of each of the colors produced – should be considered, as well. He says (and neighbors and I have experienced) "In the case of white LED light, it is estimated to be five times more effective at suppressing melatonin at night than the high pressure sodium lamps (given the same light output) which have been the mainstay of street lighting for decades. Melatonin suppression is a marker of circadian disruption, which includes disrupted sleep.
Bright electric lighting can also adversely affect wildlife by, for example, disturbing migratory patterns of birds and some aquatic animals which nest on shore."
If any other neighbors here in EHS read this and would like to go to the town with this complaint, please contact me at 76 Stony Hill Road. Thank you for the health concerns of the entire neighborhood.

Dear Rebecca,

I do need to walk on Gatehouse Road at night, as do many, many other people in the neighborhood who walk to Hampshire Athletic Club (closing time 10:00 PM) or walk home from the PVTA bus stop at the corner of Gatehouse Road and Belchertown Road. Without any streetlights at all on Gatehouse Road, the situation for pedestrians is hazardous. You are welcome to fight the battle with the town over the brightness of the streetlights, but having no lights at all is not a good option.

The required area has been marked and reported to digsafe. Once the digsafe survey is complete, it will be scheduled for excavation and repair.

All lights on Gatehouse are repaired/working. Replaced underground feed to lights. There is a separate workorder open for stoneyhill and flintlock.

Thank you very much for repairing the street lights on Gatehouse Road! It looks like it's been a big job, and I appreciate your work to solve this problem.