Boston's infamous "Big Dig" Central Artery/Tunnel has been unsafe for years, partially due to the current lighting system. Fluorescent tube lights in casings made of dissimilar metals have long since rusted over--one even fell onto the road! In order to make the CA/T not only safer but also more efficient, the city of Boston has opted to switch out the current lighting system for an LED powered one!
LED tube lights in watertight plastic housing will be installed in the tunnel, providing better light and saving the city in maintenance and utility costs annually. In addition, since the lights are in plastic instead of metal, there will be no rusting or damage to the light fixtures, meaning no repeat incidents of collapsing lights.
The money from the project comes from the millions of dollars in settlements that the city has been receiving since the tunnel opened in 2006. The Big Dig, which is the largest highway construction project in history, has had many design flaws that lead to leaks and a fatal ceiling collapse. Hopefully, a move to LED will make the tunnel safer for use.
