Ask Mr. Answer Person: "I've noticed LED lights flickering on traffic lights"

Dale e-mails Mr. Answer Person: "Just curious about the stop light on College Drive at the south end of the bridge (near Weis Buick).  I've noticed the LED lights flicker.  It seems that would shorten the life span of those lights.  Is that the case?  And if so, would it be cost prohibitive to correct it?"
 
Mr. Answer Person says: Your question stumped me, Dale.  Fortunately, it didn't stump Decorah City Manager Chad Bird.  He answers that once the lights in a full LED lens begin to flicker, it means the lens is getting close to the end of its life and is nearly ready for replacement.

However, once this happens, the entire light assembly must be replaced--it is NOT possible to replace the individual LED components.  Chad Bird says he watched City of Decorah street crews replace several of the lenses this past spring.  In fact, he even kept one of the burned out lenses in his office.  They're bigger than you might guess.  They're also more expensive--they cost roughly $180 each!