www.kansascity.com Open in urlscan Pro
23.41.253.69  Public Scan

Form analysis
2 forms found in the DOM

/search/

<form id="search-icon" action="/search/" class="search row h-phone" role="search"><label for="flag-search-input"><svg width="17" height="17" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg">
      <path
        d="m16.768 14.699-3.31-3.31a.796.796 0 0 0-.565-.233h-.541a6.872 6.872 0 0 0 1.46-4.25A6.905 6.905 0 0 0 6.907 0 6.905 6.905 0 0 0 0 6.906a6.905 6.905 0 0 0 6.906 6.907 6.872 6.872 0 0 0 4.25-1.461v.54c0 .213.083.416.233.565l3.31 3.31a.794.794 0 0 0 1.126 0l.94-.94a.8.8 0 0 0 .003-1.128Zm-9.862-3.543c-2.347 0-4.25-1.899-4.25-4.25 0-2.347 1.9-4.25 4.25-4.25 2.348 0 4.25 1.9 4.25 4.25 0 2.348-1.899 4.25-4.25 4.25Z">
      </path>
    </svg></label><input id="flag-search-input" class="search-field" type="text" name="q" placeholder=" " aria-label="Search Kansas City Star" tabindex="0"></form>

/search/

<form tabindex="-1" action="/search/" class="site-search-id flex" role="search"><input id="nav-menu-search-bar" type="text" name="q" placeholder="Search" aria-label="Search Kansas City Star" tabindex="0"><button type="submit" aria-label="Search"
    tabindex="-1"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewBox="0 0 448 512">
      <path
        d="M190.5 66.9l22.2-22.2c9.4-9.4 24.6-9.4 33.9 0L441 239c9.4 9.4 9.4 24.6 0 33.9L246.6 467.3c-9.4 9.4-24.6 9.4-33.9 0l-22.2-22.2c-9.5-9.5-9.3-25 .4-34.3L311.4 296H24c-13.3 0-24-10.7-24-24v-32c0-13.3 10.7-24 24-24h287.4L190.9 101.2c-9.8-9.3-10-24.8-.4-34.3z">
      </path>
    </svg></button></form>

Text Content

Skip to Content

LOG INSUBSCRIBE NOW


WHY ARE SOME STREETLIGHTS PURPLE ON KANSAS CITY HIGHWAYS? | KANSAS CITY STAR

Part of the McClatchy Media Network

Friday, February 9, 2024

Today's eEdition

52°F 68° 38°
Local News
Restaurants
Chiefs
Politics
Opinion
•
Personal Finance
Betting
Obituaries
Entertainment
Shopping
Close navigation panelSECTIONS
Search

Home Kansas City Favorites
Customer Service
About Us
Account Management
Archives
Contact us
Customer Service
Subscribe
Advertise
Contact McClatchy Advertising
Stay Connected
Mobile Apps & eReaders
Newsletters
Social Media
Facebook
Twitter
Instagram
YouTube
eEdition Morning Sports Edition
Obituaries
View Obituaries
Place an Obituary

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

News
All News
Local news
Crime
Education
What's your KCQ?
Weather News
Nation
Politics
Politics
Elections
Sports
All Sports
Chiefs
Royals
Sporting KC
KC Current
KU
Mizzou
K-State
High School
Blogs & Columns
For Pete's Sake
Sam McDowell
Vahe Gregorian
Opinion
Editorials
Letters to the Editor
Derek Donovan
Melinda Henneberger
Toriano Porter
Yvette Walker
Guest commentary
Submit a Letter
Business
Development
Openings and Closings
Personal Finance
Living & Entertainment
Entertainment
Arts & Culture
Eat & Drink
KC Gardens
Comics
Puzzles & Games
Horoscopes

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sports Betting
All Sports Betting
How to Bet on Super Bowl 2023
Kansas Sportsbook Bonuses
Kansas Betting Apps
Kansas City Chiefs Betting
BetMGM Kansas Bonus Code
Caesars Sportsbook Kansas Promo Code
FanDuel Kansas Promo Code
DraftKings Kansas Promo Code
PointsBet Kansas Promo Code

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Shopping/Reviews
Reviews
Product Reviews
Health and Wellness
Software and Business
How To Geek
Shopping
Shop With Us
Special Features Press Releases Senior Living Deals & Offers

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sponsored Content
Paid Content by BrandPoint
Partner Content
Family Features
Classifieds
Place a Classified Ad
Post a Job
Browse Classifieds
Search Jobs Search Legal Notices
Advertising
Place an Ad
Staffing Solutions
Political | Advocacy Advertising
Local


WHY ARE THERE PURPLE STREETLIGHTS ON KANSAS CITY AREA HIGHWAYS? WE FOUND ANSWERS

By Natalie Wallington
Updated January 08, 2024 6:01 PM

A purple-hued LED streetlight is seen in Manhattan, Kansas in July of 2021. A
manufacturing defect in new LED bulbs is causing streetlights to turn purple in
cities across North America, including in Kansas City. City of Manhattan, Kansas


Reality Check is a Star series holding those in power to account and shining a
light on their decisions. Have a suggestion for a future story? Email
realitycheck@kcstar.com.

If you’ve driven on Kansas City’s highways at night in the past few years,
you’ve probably noticed a purple glow reminiscent of your favorite sci-fi
movies.

A reader recently contacted The Star to ask why some of the streetlights along
Bond Bridge and elsewhere around the metro emit this hue.



While some residents appreciate the purple lights’ nostalgic vibes, others have
expressed concerns about their impact on visibility, light pollution and local
ecosystems.

We reached out to the Missouri Department of Transportation and found that the
purple glow is unintentional: Spokesperson Melissa Black told The Star that the
color is caused by a manufacturing defect with the LED bulbs the department uses
to illuminate roads across the state.

“We have been systematically going through and working with the manufacturer to
get those replaced,” she said.



MODOT traffic engineer Ericka Ross estimated that the department replaced
between 500 and 1,000 purple streetlights during its first round of bulb
replacements in 2022. Now, the department is planning another push that will see
hundreds more lights swapped out — although these replacements haven’t yet been
scheduled.

Here’s what we know about the tinted lights around Kansas City.


WHY ARE KANSAS CITY’S LED STREETLIGHTS TURNING PURPLE?

The purple streetlight phenomenon isn’t unique to Missouri — it has been spotted
around North America in places including Kansas, Utah, Texas, Florida and
Canada. The explanation likely lies in a process called delamination.

Many LED light bulbs used for street lights actually give off a purple-blue
light by default. In order to split this light into the whole spectrum of colors
that creates white light, manufacturers paint a material called phosphor onto
the diodes inside the bulb.

Experts believe that purple streetlights are a result of this phosphor coating
peeling off or degrading away due to issues in the manufacturing process.



As a result, cities around the country have been replacing these defective bulbs
— the vast majority of which come from the Atlanta-based manufacturing giant
Acuity Brands. Kansas City is among them, with the issue seeing a resurgence in
recent months.

“I thought we were kind of done, and then (the problem) popped back up again,”
Black said.

Ross added that drivers can report purple streetlights directly to MODOT by
calling its customer support number at 1-888-275-6636.


DO PURPLE STREETLIGHTS IMPACT ROAD VISIBILITY?

Black and Ross told The Star that, while they may look unusual, MODOT’s purple
streetlights are safe for drivers.

“We do get complaints on and off about the purple lights,” Ross said. “We have
actually measured the light intensity, and it does meet our minimum
requirements.”



But while the lights may still be bright enough to see by, they aren’t as bright
as their white counterparts — and experts say their color can have negative
impacts on nighttime visibility.

“When the only light that’s available is blue, we don’t have as much ability to
see fine details,” said John Bullough, a director at the Light and Health
Research Center at Mount Sinai’s Icahn School of Medicine in New York City.

That’s because the human eye has very few receptors in the retina’s center that
are attuned to the color blue.



While Bullough said he isn’t aware of documented increases in traffic accidents
related to purple streetlights, he added that their hue makes it more difficult
for the human eye to read signs and distinguish between different colors,
potentially impacting road safety for drivers and pedestrians.

He recommended that drivers use their headlights — including the high beams,
when it’s safe to do so — to improve visibility on the road.

“It’s always a good idea to use your high beams as much as you possibly can,” he
said. “More light will definitely help counteract the effect from just the blue
(light).”


WHAT OTHER IMPACTS DO PURPLE STREETLIGHTS HAVE ON THEIR SURROUNDINGS?

Bullough told The Star that while the blue family of visible light can have
negative impacts on eye health and circadian rhythms over time at a high
intensity, the light emanating from defective streetlights is nowhere near
strong enough to affect humans’ health.



Of greater concern is the light’s impact on other living things, especially
insects, migratory birds, aquatic life and nocturnal animals. DeAnn Gregory, a
retired environmental specialist from the Missouri Department of Conservation,
noted that even properly-functioning LED streetlights can disrupt local
ecosystems.

“Since they are broad-spectrum lights, they have so much more blue light and
that is the light that’s harmful to pollinators, to bats, to owls,” she said.
“Amber-colored LEDs are now available, and those are strongly preferred over the
bright white lights that are commonly used.”

Gregory also serves on the board of DarkSky Missouri, a nonprofit group focused
on decreasing light pollution and artificial lights’ impacts on the environment.
Her group sees the state’s upcoming streetlight replacements as an opportunity
to install lighting that is less disruptive to local ecosystems.



“We are asking that the lighting engineers take into consideration
environmentally sensitive areas,” she said. “Missouri needs to begin to
transition to lighting that will not cause unintended harm to wildlife.”

Do you have more questions about infrastructure in and around Kansas City? Ask
the Service Journalism team at kcq@kcstar.com.

Loading…

This story was originally published January 5, 2024, 2:39 PM.

FOLLOW MORE OF OUR REPORTING ON REALITY CHECK

Local


THE ‘GODFATHER OF INDEPENDENCE’ SAYS FEDS WERE ‘VINDICTIVE’ AFTER FAILED STING
OPERATION

February 07, 2024 6:00 AM
Crime


KCPD IS ONLY LOCAL AGENCY FALLING BELOW NATIONAL 911 STANDARDS. WOULD HIGHER PAY
HELP?

February 06, 2024 5:00 AM

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

See all stories

RELATED STORIES FROM KANSAS CITY STAR

Local


MORE THAN HALF OF KC’S ROAD CRACK SEALING MACHINES ARE DOWN, DELAYING STREET
REPAIRS

December 11, 2023 3:20 PM
Local


IF A RED TRAFFIC LIGHT NEVER TURNS GREEN, CAN YOU RUN IT? WHAT MISSOURI, KANSAS
LAWS SAY

December 13, 2023 3:08 PM

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

NATALIE WALLINGTON

twitter email
Natalie Wallington is a reporter on The Star’s service journalism team answering
Kansas City’s questions about the cost of living, environmental issues, local
utilities, LGBTQ+ rights and how Kansas and Missouri laws impact you. Her past
work has appeared in the Washington Post, the Guardian, VICE News, Popular
Science and elsewhere.



GET UNLIMITED DIGITAL ACCESS

#READLOCAL

Try 1 month for $1

CLAIM OFFER
Weather News


‘WINTRY PRECIPITATION’ COULD SOON SPOIL KC’S WARM SPELL. HERE’S WHEN IT MAY HIT

Updated February 09, 2024 9:10 AM
Crime


OVERNIGHT FIRE IN VACANT HOUSE WAS SET INTENTIONALLY, KCFD SAYS

Updated February 09, 2024 8:28 AM
Local


TRAFFIC PROBLEMS CONTINUE AT KCI ARRIVALS CURB? TELL THE STAR ABOUT YOUR
EXPERIENCE

February 09, 2024 6:00 AM
Local


THIS KC MAN MADE HISTORY AS ONE OF 1ST MALE CHEERLEADERS AT CHIEFS’ 1ST SUPER
BOWL

February 09, 2024 5:30 AM
Local


GET READY TO SPRING FORWARD AND LOSE SLEEP, KC. HERE’S WHEN DAYLIGHT SAVING TIME
STARTS

February 09, 2024 5:00 AM
Olathe News


WALTZING BACK IN TIME: SPIRITS WERE HIGH AT AN OLD-FASHIONED KANSAS DAY
CELEBRATION

February 09, 2024 5:00 AM


TAKE US WITH YOU

Real-time updates and all local stories you want right in the palm of your hand.


Kansas City Star App


SUBSCRIPTIONS

Start a Subscription Customer Service eEdition Vacation Hold Pay Your Bill

LEARN MORE

About Us Contact Us Newsletters Archives Sports Betting Personal Finance Reviews

ADVERTISING

McClatchy Advertising Place an Ad Place a Classified Ad Place an Obituary
Staffing Solutions Political | Advocacy Advertising

Part of the McClatchy Media Network

Copyright Commenting Policy Privacy Policy Your Privacy Choices Terms of Service