Reykjavík will keep streetlights on until children reach school

Reykjavík plans to introduce a new streetlight control system in December that will keep the lights on until children have arrived at school, mbl.is reports. The system will provide real-time information on whether individual streetlights are operating and is expected to cost 75 million Icelandic krónur.

The new system will also make maintenance easier. Among other features, technicians will be able to switch on streetlights using a mobile phone app.

Viðar Einarsson, a unit manager on the City of Reykjavík’s technical team, said the technology represented a major change and would replace the streetlight control system used since 1971.

He said the system would alert the city when something went wrong, allowing it to respond without waiting for residents to report problems.

The system would also improve control during periods of changing daylight. Viðar said streetlights sometimes switched off at around 8am while it was still partly dark, when children were travelling to school. The new controls would ensure the lights remained on until all children had arrived.