PEORIA, Ill. — It reopened on Halloween night, and the convenience of being able to use the Murray Baker Bridge is a treat motorists will be enjoying for years to come.
Drivers and non-drivers, alike, however, continue to be bewitched by the various color schemes emitting from the lights adorning the bridge.
Peoria Public Works Engineer Nick Stoffer explained the structure has a total of 502 light fixtures that make up three different lighting systems.
The framework of the bridge, itself, has 286 lights, which are always white.
72 lights align the abutments of the bridge.
The main attraction, though, are the 144 fixtures along the deck, which are the ones that can be programmed in color.
Stoffer said the idea for the colored lights was conceived in 2018.
“The last time was worked on, in 2006, IDOT changed the lights from what was there to LED, so there were white lights along the entire structure,” he said.
“Over time, things degrade, and eventually they got to the point where we had to shut them off, and so we’ve been thinking about the opportunity to have a newer LED lighting system on there, and obviously since 2006 the technology has improved.
“When we realized IDOT was going to have a bridge project, we worked with them to get [the colored lights] as part of the plan to be installed with the construction project.”
Stoffer said it will be a long time until the lights need to be replaced.
“The lights, themselves, are rated for 100,000 hours, which is approximately 20 years worth of usage. That doesn’t mean they’re going to last that long, but they’re warrantied for so long, and we will have to do continual maintenance on them as time goes on,” he said.
Lights like the ones on the bridge, he explained, cannot be fixed, so “maintenance” in this case involves replacing the whole fixtures.
“We’d replace the unit, and then we’d have to reprogram it back into whatever place it’s in, in the system.”
Stoffer explained both ends of the bridge have their own computer system, which are synchronous, and are controlled by remote computer software that has the ability to schedule the color scheme on a given night.
“The color palette, itself, is infinite,” he said, “although we only have a certain amount programmed as part of the project, and anything in addition, as we go forward in time and need new color schemes, we’d have to hire the vendor to reprogram that scheme for us.”
Public Works and IDOT each have the ability to control the lights, though IDOT Public Information Officer Paul Wappel said Public Works chooses all the color schemes.
Stoffer, though, hinted readers of this piece may soon have a say in the schemes.
“We’re working on a policy right now, and our hope is we’re able to have an application for people to be able to apply to have color changes when there aren’t set holidays or set schemes that are going to be addressed in the policy,” he offered.
He said details were still being worked out, but did say there will be a fee, and they hope to launch the application process by January.
Full interview with Stoffer:
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