If you drive by a streetlight in El Paso illuminating a purple hue you don’t have some kind of vision problem, and, no, it’s not the city’s way of adding a chill or spooky vibe to the night.
The answer to the purple phenomenon is technological.
It’s Not Just Us
We’re not the only city that got hosed by the manufacturer of the bulbs. Apparently, it’s a nationwide problem. Purple streetlights have been popping up in cities all over the country for a number of years now.
Why Are There Purple Streetlights Around El Paso?
The street lamps are actually the result of a manufacturing defect, according to the City of El Paso Streets and Maintenance Transportation Manager Andres Rico who spoke to one of the local news stations about them.
Per Rico, a coating on the defective street lamps has burned off resulting in the traditional white light throwing out a lavender haze.
Somewhere around 1,500 LED street lights with the code failure have been currently identified, but that number will continue to change.