Aging Street Lamps in Berlin's Underbelly
Various Streetlights in Berlin Are Antiquated Veterans - Vintage Berlin Streetlights Frequently Spotted
Berlin's cityscape is dotted with plenty of classic street lamps, and it seems over 50,000 of them have seen more than five decades. Danny Freymark, a CDU representative, inquired about an old lamp post falling over in Zehlendorf, and received a reply from the transport administration revealing this information. These ancient poles, equivalent to around a quarter of the total, may be reaching—or have surpassed—their presumed lifespan of 50 years.
Safety concerns have led to the removal of 178 light posts over the past five years, as previously reported by the Tagesspiegel-Newsletter "Checkpoint." However, the transport administration does not mandate stability checks for lamp posts, with only an annual spot check of 1% and a comprehensive "condition check" every four years. The Senate acknowledges the need for improvements and the associated costs—estimated at a hefty 350 million euros.
The effort to sustain the outdated infrastructure is considerable, as the transport administration admits, with LED conversion being a much more energy-efficient alternative. Yet, only 35% of electric lights in Berlin currently run on LED, leaving plenty of room for savings and improvements. This is particularly true when it comes to transitioning from gas lamps, as the operating costs of LED lights are indeed a tenth of those for gas lamps, including energy consumption, maintenance, troubleshooting, and repairs.
The Gritty Reality
Despite the antiquated infrastructure in Berlin's streets, the city is not alone—many cities nationwide and worldwide are grappling with similar challenges. Moving towards LED lighting, updating vintage lamps, and embracing innovative technologies are critical for safer, more energy-efficient urban landscapes. The balancing act between maintaining historical charm and incorporating modern safety and efficiency measures is one that cities like Berlin must continue to navigate.
- Berlin
- Street lamp
- CDU
- Zehlendorf
- The CDU representative, Danny Freymark, from Berlin, inquired about an old lamp post falling over in Zehlendorf, revealing a large number of street lamps in Berlin have exceeded their presumed lifespan of 50 years, with about a quarter of them reaching or surpassing this age.
- The balancing act between maintaining historical charm and incorporating modern safety and efficiency measures is one that cities like Berlin must continue to navigate, as many cities nationwide and worldwide grapple with similar challenges like updating vintage lamps and moving towards LED lighting.
- The city of Berlin is currently dealing with a backlog in updating its street lamps, as only 35% of electric lights in the city currently run on LED, leaving a significant employment policy backlog for the transport administration to address this issue and transition from gas lamps, which have much higher operating costs compared to LED lights.
