Q. Lately I’ve noticed a few purple street lights in Ann Arbor—why?
A. That wasn’t intended; those LED lights aren’t working properly. After a few years of operation, some improperly manufactured LED bulbs turn purple. This began to be observed around the world in 2020, and since then tens of thousands have been replaced. Ann Arbor residents can help by reporting purple street lights to A2 Fix It.
Some street lights have not yet been converted to LEDs. The city recently received a grant to replace high-pressure sodium bulbs owned by DTE with the much more efficient LED bulbs. Since these are available over a range of wattage and “color temperature,” the city recently collected citizen input on a test installation. In a small sample, a 58-watt, 2,700-Kelvin bulb got the most votes for placement in a residential area, with twenty-five Yeses, five Maybes, and nineteen Nos.
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