Dubai replaces more than 14,000 road lights with eco-friendly alternatives

Project updates tunnel lighting units and night road crossings with LED lights

Dubai has upgraded tunnel and night crossing lighting with 14,400 eco-friendly LED units. RTA

More than 14,000 lights along Dubai's roads have been replaced with more eco-friendly alternatives.

The upgrade included at least 39 tunnels and crossings, lighting 22.6km of roadway.

Dubai's Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) announced the installation of 14,400 LED lights on Wednesday, saying it was committed to promoting a clean environment.

“RTA recently renovated the lighting for 39 tunnels. This six-month project entailed some of Dubai's prominent tunnels including the airport tunnel, Shindagha tunnel, Dubai Mall tunnel, and the Dubai World Trade Centre tunnel,” said Maitha bin Adai, chief executive of the RTA's Traffic and Roads Agency.

The project updates tunnel lighting units and night road crossings with sustainable, eco-friendly lights.

“LED lighting units have many eco-friendly features, such as consuming 60 per cent less energy than traditional lighting units and offering an increased lifespan by up to 177 per cent in comparison with older lights.

"The new lights have a lifespan of 50,000 hours, compared with 18,000 hours for conventional lighting units, which reduces the frequency of replacements and minimises maintenance and operational costs.

"Furthermore, compared with traditional lamps there's a 20 per cent reduction in energy loss and heat emissions, enhancing the efficiency of both the units’ lighting operational system and the tunnels’ energy supply network,” Mr Bin Adai said.

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The authority said street lighting systems in the emirate will continue to improve as new technology is introduced.

The newly installed units do not include environmentally harmful chemicals, such as mercury, which can be found in traditional lights, according to the RTA announcement.

Aspects such as luminosity and tone were taken into consideration when choosing the new bulbs.

“RTA carefully evaluated the level of brightness and colour clarity in Dubai's tunnels when installing the new lighting units to ensure optimal visibility for road users, consequently enhancing traffic safety.

'The LED lighting units offer a lighting intensity of 6,000 lumens compared with 4,000 lumens for older lamps, improving the lighting quality."