Date Announced: 23 Nov 2010 Victoria, British Columbia, Canada – The City of Bethany, Oklahoma, has invested in 52 solar LED flashing beacons to improve the safety of the City’s district school zones. The R829 dual-flashing amber LED solar traffic beacons, provided by solar technology provider Carmanah Technologies Corporation (TSX: CMH) and sold by local Carmanah distributor, Gades Sales Inc., represent a significant safety improvement for Bethany students back at school this Fall. The R829 solar LED flashing beacons, which are designed specifically for school applications, will be employed to reduce vehicle speeds that are approaching the school zones from nearby residential areas. In the City’s decision, a tight early-September installation deadline and the desire to limit traffic disruption within those affected residential areas were a few considerations that led to the obvious compatibility of the Carmanah solar solution.The City of Bethany identified identical safety issues surrounding its schools, which were that the residential roadways that extended from the school to the urban areas did so without obvious distinction. Vehicle speeds dangerously exceed safe levels as traffic entered/exited the residential areas. The City’s treatment of the school zones included erecting designated school zone speed signs with accompanying dual-head solar LED flashing beacons. Studies have shown that flashing beacons increase visibility of marked signage and reduce vehicle speeds by up to 5 to 7 miles per hour. Solar flashing beacons, such as the Carmanah R829 model, eliminate the need to wire or trench at the site which reduces traffic disruption and work crew time and costs. The time-to-install factor was an important one, as the City strived to have installation completed before students and traffic returned to school in September. As city officials comment, the City’s need for a fast, effective solution was met by the Carmanah solar LED flashing solution. “We decided to implement the Carmanah solar LED flashing beacons due to their speed of installation and proven durability. They’ve been an easy, fast and economical solution and already proven their reliability in many other locations in the US. Therefore we were very receptive to using them in our school zone application as a result.”The City of Bethany is funding the new solar LED flashing beacons with money provided by the US Department of Energy EECBG (Energy Efficient and Conservation Block Grant) funded by the ARRA (American Recovery and Reinvestment Act), which invests in clean energy technologies that protect the environment and reduce dependence on foreign oil. Carmanah, which manufactures its products in Houston, Texas, complied with those Buy American provisions of the Recovery Act which the City required if the stipulations of the EECBG funding agreement were to be met. According to Carmanah, the R829 solar LED flashing beacon is designed specifically for school zone applications and features wireless communication between beacons, an easy-to-use calendar program for activation, and maintenance-free operation for up to five years.About Carmanah Technologies CorporationAs Carmanah is a solar LED lighting company specializing in self-contained solar LED lighting systems for the marine, aviation, traffic and off-grid lighting market worldwide. Represented by a global network of distributors, Carmanah has been responsible for hundreds of thousands of solar LED flashing beacon deployments for the traffic industry in locations throughout the world. Headquartered in Victoria B.C. Canada, with its manufacturing performed in Houston, Texas, Carmanah products comply with requirements stated by the Buy American act and are manufactured to ISO 9001:2008 standards. Carmanah has been a publicly traded company since 2001 on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol "CMH” and is currently the world’s only publicly traded solar lighting technology company. Carmanah is regularly analyzed by seven independent financial analysts. For more information, visit www.carmanah.comAbout the City of BethanyThe City of Bethany is a western suburb of the Oklahoma City Metropolitan Area and is located in Oklahoma County, Oklahoma. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 20,307.Situated on historic Route 66, Bethany is a family oriented city on the shoreline of Lake Overholser. Bethany is also a Certified City.Two universities call the city home. Southern Nazarene University is a four-year, private, Christian, liberal arts university. SNU offers adult degree completion and many masters programs including an MBA with evening classes. Southwestern Christian University is a Holiness/Pentecostal university specializing in Bible and Christian ministries. SWCU offers adult degree completion and master programs. Some of the largest employers in the Bethany area are: Southern Nazarene University, SBC, Putnam City Public Schools, Deaconess at Bethany Hospital and Bethany Public Schools.About Gades Sales Inc.Gades Sales Co., Inc. founded in the mid 1940's is a diversified company serving the Intelligent Transportation Systems, Transportation Engineering and Transportation Control Equipment markets on a regional basis in the States of Kansas, Oklahoma, Colorado, Wyoming, Utah and western Missouri. As a distributor for many of the most respected manufacturers of transportation control equipment, Gades Sales has been meeting the needs of local and state agencies for the most up-to-date and dependable equipment available. From traffic signals and intersection controls, to computerized systems managing large numbers of intersections, Gades Sales has earned a reputation for quality products and service and is known throughout the industry as being The Traffic Control Specialists.
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David Davies direct: 250.382.4332
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