The iconic Blue Bridge in Imatra, Finland began lighting renovations this week. Workers are replacing 72 old fluorescent fixtures with ten modern LED spotlights.
The project started on Tuesday and will finish within the week. Highway 6 lanes will close temporarily during the work.
Project manager Janne Kyröläinen from Insplan Oy said the bridge will keep its distinctive blue color. The new lighting will use 90% less electricity than the original system.
The bridge's five-kilowatt energy consumption will drop to just one-tenth of its previous level. This represents substantial savings for the city.
Originally scheduled for 2014, the lighting replacement faced years of permit delays. All preparatory work finished last year, but the permit from the Centre for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment took twelve months to obtain.
City maintenance engineer Kaisa Pohjola confirmed the permit finally arrived a full year after application. The bridge falls under the ELY Centre's administrative area.
This upgrade shows how even delayed infrastructure projects eventually move forward when bureaucratic hurdles clear. The energy savings will benefit the city budget for years to come.