Luzerne County provided this ‘before’ photo to show the Nanticoke/West Nanticoke Bridge before it switched to brighter LED lighting.
                                 Submitted photo

Luzerne County provided this ‘before’ photo to show the Nanticoke/West Nanticoke Bridge before it switched to brighter LED lighting.

Submitted photo

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<p>This photo shows the illumination provided by a new LED light at the Route 11 entrance to the Nanticoke/West Nanticoke Bridge.</p>
                                 <p>Submitted photo</p>

This photo shows the illumination provided by a new LED light at the Route 11 entrance to the Nanticoke/West Nanticoke Bridge.

Submitted photo

Luzerne County is nearing completion of an LED lighting conversion project that makes the North Cross Valley Expressway brighter while saving the county money, said county Engineer William McIntosh.

Lighting along the 5.5-mile highway falls under the county’s responsibility due to past agreements with the state, he said.

The highway’s old high-pressure sodium fixtures were more than 30 years old and deteriorating.

The county has replaced most of the 350 light fixtures and will receive 50% state reimbursement toward the $440,000 project, McIntosh said. It included replacement of aging and defective wiring and parts, he said.

Approximately seven remaining scattered light fixtures will be converted to LED when the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation trims trees on the banks that are blocking the lights, McIntosh said. The state indicated it will be completing the trimming soon, he said.

McIntosh noted two recent problems temporarily caused sections to be darkened, but they have been fixed.

PPL recently repaired a power feed malfunction, allowing restoration of a large section of lighting at the River Street exit, he said.

At the Kidder Street exit, bad wiring caused high-tower lighting to go out, he said. The county’s lighting contractor has repaired the wiring, he said.

As part of ongoing issues, McIntosh said the county also has been working to replace light poles knocked down by motorists, including three within the last year. This expense should be covered by the motorists’ vehicle insurance, he said.

The county also pays for highway lighting along the 1.06-mile stretch of Route 309 from the end of the North Cross Valley to Hillside Road in Kingston Township, through the “rock cut,” he said.

McIntosh said he recently worked with UGI Utilities, which agreed to upgrade the lighting to LED at the company’s expense.

The difference along the entire corridor is noticeable, McIntosh said.

“It’s a marked improvement,” he said.

On the North Cross Valley, the county reduced its wattage by 45% while still incorporating additional lighting, he said.

The county also recently upgraded to LED lighting on the county-owned Nanticoke/West Nanticoke Bridge over the Susquehanna River, he said.

Reach Jennifer Learn-Andes at 570-991-6388 or on Twitter @TLJenLearnAndes.