Why High Tech Street Lights Are Turning Lufkin Purple

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• Lufkin residents are noticing that some of the street lights in the city are turning purple.
• These faulty LED streetlights are putting out less light and could cause visibility issues.
• Drivers can find purple street lights on Timberland between Janeway Ave and Loop 287.

No this isn't the latest way our town is showing its Panther pride or SFA Lumberjack spirit; it's defective street lights. They are becoming more and more common all over Texas.

In the early 2000s cities across the nation started to update their light fixtures to new, brighter LED lights. Initially, it was a great way to conserve electricity while making our roadways brighter and safer.

In the past streetlights just burned out, and when they were done, they were done. When LED lights go bad, strange things can happen.

Bright Purple Streetlights Caused By A Delaminated Phosphor Layer 

There is a science behind making an LED light white. It can be achieved in many ways, but most scientists agree that the issue with LED streetlights is because of phosphor-converted LED fixtures.

According to Scientific American the blue or UV LED has been exposed because the phosphor layer around the lights has degraded or peeled off, so all you see is the blue that is left.

The street lights in Texas have slowly been turning into blacklights since about 2021. It has become much more widespread as the lights age.

Newer technology in streetlighting has become available, and hopefully, all of the lights will be eventually replaced. I'm just glad they aren't strobing like that one light by the new Atwoods.