Stonebrooke Engineering participates in the introduction of the largest comparison lighting study of its kind in Minnesota

Stonebrooke's David Hirsch, PE, PTOE, was among those who participated in a recent event with Hennepin County Community Works and the city of Minneapolis to introduce the 46th Street Pilot Lighting Project to residents, community leaders, and members of the media.

Stonebrooke was selected by Hennepin County to manage the Pilot Lighting Project—the largest comparison street lighting study of its kind in Minnesota. The project is designed to determine the effectiveness of Light Emitting Diode (LED) and Induction street lighting as compared to the existing city of Minneapolis standard of High Pressure Sodium (HPS) lighting.

Cost- and energy-saving implications

The study, which involves 55 lights, could have far reaching cost- and energy-saving implications not only for Minneapolis but also Hennepin County and the state of Minnesota.

"Residents and others I talked to at the event were eager to learn more about the project and appreciative of its ultimate goal, which is to reduce energy consumption, waste and costs for the city," said David. "The public's input regarding the effectiveness of the lights will play an important role in the decisions that will be made at the end of the study."

Study looks at 11 different types of lights

Eight types of LED lights from six different manufacturers are being studied along the east side of the corridor, which runs from 34th to 46th avenues. Three types of induction lights—all low-level lights—from three different manufacturers are being studied along the west side of the corridor.

The study is the first part of a series of improvements that will be made along the corridor as part of the Minnehaha-Hiawatha Strategic Investment Framework. Project partners include Hennepin County, the city of Minneapolis, the Minnesota Local Road Research Board and Stonebrooke Engineering.

Updates on the project will be released every six months until its completion in 2012. For more information on the project visit the "Projects" section of our website.