Jun 25, 2009 8:03 am US/Eastern
Curious Why The Lights Are Out On I-93
Problem Isn't As Simple As Changing The Light Bulbs
WOBURN (WBZ) ―
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So many street lights on I-93 north of Boston are out, one driver didn't realize they were supposed to be on.
WBZ
Long stretches of one of the area's busiest highways have been left in the dark and some drivers want to know why.
Dave Ayer of Woburn wrote into
our Curiosity web site asking:
"Why many of the street lights are not working on I-93 north of Boston? How hard is it to replace light bulbs?"
In fact, Dave was so curious he took the time to count just how many of the lights were out.
"I stopped counting at about 120 between Route 128 and the Sullivan Square exit, which is over half of them," Ayer told WBZ's Christina Hager.
HOW DARK IS IT...
Along some stretches of the highway, it is so dark after the sun goes down that any driver who lost power in their car -losing their headlights and internal car lights - would be left in the pitch black.
The issue is so common along I-93 north of Boston that one driver we spoke with didn't even know the lights were supposed to be on. Another driver described the stretch as a "black hole."
AGING SYSTEM
When Dave Ayer wrote to WBZ with his Curiosity, he mentioned changing the light bulbs. Turns out it's not that simple. The problem is the entire lamp and post.
"The lights, technology, and items such as the underground cables are approximately 50 years old," state transportation spokesman Adam Hurtubise said.
The recent wet weather hasn't helped matters. Most of the lights that are out right now blew because water got into the aging electric system, he said.
According to Hurtubise the plan is to replace all of the lights. Bids for the project opened three months ago, but there is no date set for groundbreaking.
Are you curious about something? Declare Your Curiosity to WBZ.
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