More than 700 lower-temperature lights will be used in sensitive areas of Dunedin as part of the city's street light upgrade, the Dunedin City Council says.
The council is just beginning a $15million project to replace the city's ageing network of amber high-pressure sodium lamps with new 3000-Kelvin LEDs, which critics have argued could be harmful to humans and animals alike.
This week, the council announced about 765 lights with a lower Kelvin rating would be included in the rollout, which is expected to be completed by mid-2021.
The 2200K LEDs would be installed on the Otago Peninsula, as well as Waikouaiti, Waitati, Mihiwaka and near Purakaunui, council asset and commercial manager Merrin Dougherty said.
The 2200K lights would have a colour like the city's amber lights, and would help protect night sky viewing, she said.
The decision was made in consultation with the NZ Transport Agency, which is funding 85% of the cost.
The 2200K LEDs would be less energy efficient and cost more to maintain than 3000K LEDs, although the price difference was considered "negligible", a spokesman added.
Both types of lights could be brightened or dimmed as needed, she said.
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While I'm pleased to see that at least some of the lights will be of the lower 2200k, I'm still very unhappy about the fact that most of the city residents will be living under 'spotlights' at night. For those of us in the hill areas, this new very bright lighting will be invasive, our properties, in effect, will never see the night as many street lights tower over us.
Given the research now available showing the damage 3k and above does, and the glare issues, why are 3k lights being installed at all? Shouldn't they ALL be 2.2k?
Totally agree with Buzz and GSV above. This is not a good news story yet. It will be when ALL our neighbourhoods are given the choice. This is far too important a change to our quality of life to be decided without meaningful engagement and local trials.