TIGGER grant to fund R.I. transit upgrades

The Rhode Island Public Transit Authority (RIPTA) was awarded a $345,000 Federal Transit Administration (FTA) grant under a Federal Transit Investment for Greenhouse Gas and Energy Reduction grant program (TIGGER).

The grant money will be used to improve lighting systems at the Chafee Operations, Transportation and Maintenance Facility, the RIPTA Administration Office Building, the RIde Administration Office Building in Providence, as well as the RIPTA’s Newport Garage. By converting to more energy efficient systems, RIPTA expects to save $115,000 in annual electric utility expenses, cutting kilowatt usage at these buildings by more than half. As a twenty-four hour operation housed in a number of older facilities, RIPTA is a major consumer of electricity.

The relighting project will include the replacement of 549 metal halide fixtures with new high intensity fluorescent fixtures. These new fixtures will extend bulb life from 20,000 hours to 30,000 hours of service. The existing fixtures require 10-15 minutes restart after a power failure; however the new fixtures will have an electronic ballast and will start instantly.

Also included in this project is the replacement of 758 fluorescent fixtures in offices and work areas that will be replaced with high intensity fluorescent fixtures. The new fixtures will have a 29,000 hour bulb life, which is 9,000 hours more than the existing lamps in fixtures. In addition, to the above lighting replacement, 135 mercury vapor lights and 55 high pressure sodium fixtures will also be replaced with the grant money.