Saturday, October 22, 2011

Michigan: Lakeview airport first in state to install LED runway lights


LAKEVIEW - The Lakeview Municipal Airport continues to lead the state in implementing green energy.

New light-emitting diode (LED) taxi lights were installed this week and LED runway lights will be installed early next week, along with an LED wind cone.

The improvements come after new LED runway end identification lights (REILs), which were installed in 2009 – also the first in the state – all thanks to a grant from the Michigan Department of Transportation Aeronautics Block. The grant covers 95 percent of the $37,891 project, while the state will fund 2.5 percent and the village will fund 2.5 percent.

Prein & Newhof in Grand Rapids is the engineering firm representing the village’s airport to MDOT.

“A lot of airports around the state have the taxiway lights, but Lakeview is the first in the state to have runway lights,” said Project Engineer John Stroos. “Several other airports are interested in it.”

A total of 90 runway and taxi lights will be installed in Lakeview when the project is complete.

“They cost a little bit more to install up front, but within a couple of years they pay for themselves in energy savings,” Stroos said.

Lakeview Village Manager James Freed said using LED lights will cut energy costs by 45 percent at the airport, located at 9081 Cutler Road. He said the general fund savings can be used for other village projects, such as improvements to parks and the police department.

Besides energy savings, LED technology features a longer life span for lights and elimination of ozone generated by flash laps.

“I don’t know why people dither with innovation,” Freed said. “For small-town America, this is some bold innovation.”

About 16 people work full-time at the Lakeview airport. The airport’s general fund has been reduced from $30,000 in 2008 to $15,000 to $20,000, thanks to cost-saving changes and improvements.

http://www.villageoflakeview.com

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