Blue Streetlight Mystery Of East Maumee Street Solved

ANGOLA - For months now, community members have been curious why street lights alone E. Maumee St. across from Cameron Memorial Community Hospital have a blue hue.

An array of assumptions were made regarding the streetlights' color; from the lights being faulty, to the blue/purple color being pride for the local school district, to the hospital itself installing the lights to be easy on their patients' eyes.

The real answer; unfortunately, is far less intentional.

The lights have hit the end of their short lifespans.

According to Angola City Street Assistant Superintendent Scott Stevens, the State of Indiana installed the lights "a couple of years ago," when they were doing work long U.S. Hwy. 20 (E. Maumee St.)

The lights started to hit the end of their lifespans; the "blue light phenomenon," is the result of the phosphate coating on the LED streetlights disintegrating.

Experts with Scientific American state, "the bright purple light suggests the phosphor layer around the lights has been delaminated—peeled off—exposing the blue LED light underneath."

Stevens told WLKI the 12-13 lights have all been replaced by the Angola City Street Department.

The State of Indiana tasked the City of Angola with replacing the expiring lights.

Stevens confirmed during the Angola Common Council meeting on Monday, February 5 all of the, "blue lights," were replace and hand pained to matched the street lights alone W. Maumee St. in front of Trine University.

He explained the new lights not only now match the other lights, but their bulbs are also easier to replace resulting in easier maintenance in the future.