School zone lights upgraded near MLHS

MOSES LAKE — On a normal Friday morning, the work on Pioneer Avenue might have snarled traffic for a bit.

But with schools, salons, barbershops and gyms closed, and a number of other businesses and offices slowing down, leading to very light traffic, the work on the school crossing lights was more a matter of curiosity than anything else.

“We’re upgrading the school zone flashers,” said Jerry Beaudry, an electrician with Transportation Systems, an electrical and street light contracting firm out of Sumner. “To improve their performance. We’re installing wireless LEDs and solar panels.”

According to Beaudry’s co-worker Melindy Beaudry, LED lights use less power and are more efficient.

“It’s also wireless and needs less maintenance,” she said. “It’s more likely to work all the time when it needs to.”

Melinda Beaudry also said the crossing lights, which are located at the intersection of Pioneer Drive and Hunter Place, right across the street from the Char-Glo School of Beauty, will work in conjunction with the school zone lights and the red light cameras along Pioneer.

“There’s also a timer switch at the school,” she added.

While there are a number of “school zone” and crosswalk flashers across the city, the Beaudrys were only in town on Friday to fix those on Pioneer Drive. And even after replacing and rewiring the lights, Jerry Beaudry said he will have to come back sometime after school restarts to program everything.

Charles H. Featherstone can be reached at cfeatherstone@columbiabasinherald.com,