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?
Well I'll answer some of your questions with what I think to be logical answers :
- 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...
Thorough insights Mike! Thanks for the input.
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.
Ahh, I always thought that the concrete poles were so plentiful here since they were cheaper to install since they were direct bury. I suppose the aluminium poles are also safer in a collision though even if they don't have breakaway bases.
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.
yeah could be the contractor's preference too, if the contractor has the power to choose. I know I'd perfer anchor base aluminum poles and I'd use long arms in this instance.
Wait...just noticed something: where's the other side of the road? I see this side and the median but no other direction?
Why the lone light in the middle. This looks a little weird for Brampton TBH. This is the humberwest expansion right? I recognize the 12-12-12 signals, the concrete OVX's with a big median and the median aluminum poles.
This does look like something straight out of oakville and burlington setups..
115 FCOs as opposed to what? OVHs? To be honest, I don't think the 115 looks good in FCO (since it's got a slight tilt to the refractor) The 125, OVH, and OVF look okay in FCO though IMO.
Yup, when this city went with FCO, the only candidate for small fixtures has been the OVH. And I agree 100% about those fixtures that do/do not look right for FCO. My understanding of FCO is that the lens should be perfectly level and not aimed up at all for the supposed benefit of no atmospheric light emission. Makes sense the 115 is an oddball.
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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.
- 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.
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
Wait...just noticed something: where's the other side of the road?
@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..