Musco Lighting this month will begin installing new LED color-changing fixtures on the Norbert F. Beckey Bridge. The new system should be fully operational by early October and will provide changing lighting scenes to represent various seasons, events, and celebrations enjoyed by the Muscatine community.
“Having been involved with this project since it’s conception, I am excited to see this lighting upgrade, said Jim Berns, International Engineering Manager. “The color-changing lights on the bridge have become an icon for Muscatine and I am always amazed at the number of people who comment about them,” he said.
Musco is providing fixtures and performing work at no expense to the stakeholders involved in the project. The project will include full replacement of existing equipment.
“The system we are implementing is state-of-the-art technology and will make the bridge look brighter than ever before,” Berns said. “Additionally, by relocating key electrical components to be accessible without the need for expensive servicing equipment, reliability will be improved, and maintenance costs will be decreased.”
The bridge lighting project was originally conceived in 2007 by Leadership Muscatine. At that time, Musco’s product line did not support the desired color-changing lighting design for the system, so color-changing LED lighting fixtures had to be procured from other manufacturers.
The original lighting system saw fixture failures and electrical malfunction over the years until 2017 when the bridge was painted, and the lighting was rendered non-functional.
Musco has worked to find replacement fixtures to restore the original lighting system according to Berns, however suitable replacements could not be sourced.
The new lighting will feature LED color-changing units that are manufactured in Muscatine and are part of Musco’s expanded product line. The new fixtures are sized specifically for bridge application. Replacement components can be readily sourced or manufactured for future availability in the event of spot outages.
“Musco is proud to have been a part of this project from the initial concept working in collaboration with Leadership Muscatine, the Greater Muscatine Chamber, Muscatine Power and Water, Stanley Consultants, Iowa DOT, and City of Muscatine,” said Berns. “We are thankful for everyone’s assistance and patience getting to this point and look forward to once again being able to shine the light on the Norbert F. Beckey Bridge.”
