Vancouver Island will be the first region in B.C. to upgrade lighting infrastructure along provincial highways and roadways to LED, improving visibility for drivers and benefiting the environment.

Raylec Power, part of the Mainroad Group, was awarded the electrical maintenance under the new and improved standards on Vancouver Island. The electrical maintenance contract will be effective until Aug. 31, 2025, with an option for a five-year extension.

“Moving to LED lighting on our provincial highways and roads will use less energy, reduce maintenance costs and – most importantly – help drivers to see better, especially at night,” said Claire Trevena, Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure.

Once the province has completed the LED upgrades to the remaining 24,000 lighting fixtures, provincial energy costs are expected to be reduced by more than $2 million each year.

“Tackling climate change is critically important for all of us, and finding ways – big and small – to lower our energy usage is part and parcel of our vision of a greener tomorrow,” said Bruce Ralston, Minister of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources. “Moving to LED lighting on our provincial highways and roadways saves energy, reduces costs and increases safety – a great example of how a green choice can also be the best choice.”

The Ministry of Transportaton and Infrastructure is already incorporating LED infrastructure into new projects. The replacement of lighting along provincial highways and roadways with LED fixtures is part of its new and improved electrical maintenance standards, which include:

• replacing all non-LED lighting with the energy-saving LEDs;
• increased routine maintenance to address increased electrical inventory types; and
• streamlined processes for administering non-routine work and new installations.

The ministry awards contracts to private companies to maintain electrical infrastructure along approximately 47,000 kilometres of provincial highways and roadways. Each contractor is responsible for repairs and maintenance of overhead/streetlights, traffic and pedestrian signals, and tunnel and snowshed lighting, as well as electronic signs and web cameras.

All five regions will assume the new and improved electrical maintenance standards by 2022, through a staggered open-bidding process.