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2014 July - New pole system all in metal
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In regards to what the City of Brampton has put up on this new municipal road, I have the following curiosities:
-why suddenly using aluminum base-mount over concrete direct-bury for streetside poles?
-offsetting poles off the side is nothing new here, but why randomly use these longer arms?
-why are these yucky HPS and not LED like another project?
-why have you installed the first one armed pole ever in a median?
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- Anchor base poles are easier to install than concrete and more lightweight too so more economical to transport.
- With the poles so far away from the road, it would be stupid to use short arms. They're called street lights for a reason.
- LED are expensive and the LEDs you saw were more than likely funded by a grant. Grants are very specific and very limited so the LEDs can probably only be used on specific roads etc to be covered by the grant. Plus LED fixtures are hideous. Enjoy the classic cobrahead while you can. Though an FCO 125 isn't much to look at lol. Could've been worse though, they could've used OVXs lol.
- IMO, they shouldn't have even mounted a light there period but since they did, they used a single mast because there are more lanes that side. It would be pointless to have a light on the other side as well because you have the lights on the shoulders already. I don't think that median light is at all necessary though lol.
Seems like maybe they're just trying out new things? Usually if they do something for no apparent reason it's either because what they usually use isn't available or they're trying to save some cash. Here they had always used aluminum signals but they started using plastic signals. To save money probably...
Perhaps since gas prices are up here, hauling heavy loads of concrete poles drove up shipping costs. Perhaps the price of aluminum is down too, hence the longer arms too.
Yeah the LEDs here in Markham are only on municipally maintained roads. The roads maintained by York Region still use HPS, even in new installs. Oddly even on the Markham roads, lights at signalized intersections are still HPS. Perhaps a resurgence of caution yellow lighting, using HPS?
Yeah the median lights are optional and I notice that York Region tends to omit them.
This install looks more like a Halton/Oakville install , since they tend to use aluminium poles.
Wait...just noticed something: where's the other side of the road? I see this side and the median but no other direction?
@Joe: oddly enough the contractor doing this work is from Oakville, EC Power & Lighting, they have done a lot of concrete pole work here too.
@Mike: I took the photo low to the ground, so the grading of the land is hiding the other side of the road.
This does look like something straight out of oakville and burlington setups..