Plasma Lighting Illuminates Schertz Parkway- Welcome to the Future

Doug Letbetter (right), Bryan Timmons, left, and Brian Chelino compare the plasma light bulb (right) and an old low sodium one.

 
Schertz has come up with a bright idea for safer driving on Schertz Parkway.
 
The city on Monday, July 16, became the first municipality in Texas to install plasma lighting on its light poles, according to Public Works Superintendent Doug Letbetter.
 
“These lights use 50 percent less energy and have 75 percent more illumination than the old low sodium lights we have on our street lights along Schertz Parkway,” he said as crews installed the first plaza lighting on Monday morning.
 
Letbetter said five of the plasma lights were installed on one side of five poles starting at Live Oak Road and going toward IH-35. The other side of the poles have the low-sodium bulbs and city officials will monitor the difference in lighting over a number of nights.
 
If everything checks out as expected, the plasma lights will be installed on both sides of light poles on Schertz Parkway from FM 78 to Wiederstein Road over a period of time. Poles past Wiederstein Road going toward IH-35 belong to CPS Energy.
 
“TxDOT is the only other entity in Texas currently using this plasma lighting, which has superior illumination to LED lighting by 50 percent,” Letbetter said.
 
The plasma lighting costs about twice as much as the low-sodium bulbs but is expected to last 12 to 15 years compared to 2 to 3 years for the old type bulbs.
 
“The cost difference between the new plasma and old low-sodium bulbs will be made up in three years with less maintenance and greater energy savings,” Letbetter said.
 
For more information call Letbetter at (210)-619-1820.