During the winter snow storm of January 7 and 8,1996 failure occurred to a number of the highway lighting assemblies on the adjacent projects of Route 147, Section 1C and Route 147 Section 1E. These projects are located in Cape May County along the shore area. Eight LES-45 expressway poles attached to transfer bases type TB-17 located on the ground blew down on the Route 147,1E project, while six L8S-40 lighting poles with shoe bases mounted to bridge parapet of Route 147,1C blew down (14 in total). The poles fell on the roadway. Had it not been for the storm keeping traffic off the roads damage may have occurred to vehicles and vehicle occupants. Visual inspections by the Resident Engineer of the projects revealed that the damage to the poles and bases was general. Wind velocities recorded by the Weather Bureau and the Coast Guard indicated that wind speeds of more than 50 m.p.h. were reached during the storm. The lighting assemblies are expected to withstand 85 m.p.h. sustained winds and 104 m.p.h. gusts. The New Jersey Department of Transportation, Bureau of Materials was requested to conduct an investigation to determine the probable cause of the failures to the LESAS and L8S-40 lighting assemblies. They were further required to determine a means of inspecting non4ailing assemblies for future prevention of these assemblies failing.
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