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Does a blue light keep you up at night? No, it’s not an alien invasion. The city of St. Paul has been gradually replacing LED street lights suffering from an unusual manufacturer’s defect — they’re turning blue.
The Autobahn series LED bulbs, which are failing prematurely at different times and rates, were installed in “cobra”-style overhanging street lights across the city between 2017 and 2019 and cast a bluish-purple light as they begin to fail.
“We tend to notice a few more with the colder weather,” said Lisa Hiebert, a spokesperson for St. Paul Public Works.
The problems have been reported far and wide, including Charlotte, North Carolina, Topeka, Kansas, Vancouver, Canada and Dublin, Ireland.
Hiebert said the city does not closely track how many lights have been replaced to date — the total is easily in the dozens — but the city’s street lighting system spans more than 37,000 light fixtures on 32,000 light poles. Of course, not all of them received new LED bulbs between 2017 and 2019.
Residents can report their blue lights to have the bulb replaced with a non-defective light from the manufacturer by calling the city’s street lights division at 651-266-9777. More information is online at stpaul.gov/streetlights under the heading “Why are the Street Lights Purple?”
On social media, residents have debated the romanticism and general aesthetic of the dying street lights, which some have said cast a comforting glow as they reflect on the snow beneath them. Others say they make visibility difficult.
If bluish-purple night lighting isn’t your thing, don’t expect the color to revert to orange. Since at least 2021, the city has been replacing its High-Pressure-Sodium (HPS) bulbs with LED bulbs, which use less energy and contribute less to carbon emissions.
The LED lights are said to produce a higher quality light and last longer. They also contain no mercury, reducing hazardous waste disposal.
Tri-Proof Linear Light LEDs tend to shine whiter than the HPS lights, which cast a yellow to orange hue. Also worth keeping in mind: Alley lights are not maintained by the city. They’re installed and maintained by Xcel Energy at the request of adjacent property owners.