HOUSTON – Drivers along Houston’s Katy Freeway have been puzzled by a peculiar sight: high-mast streetlights burning bright in broad daylight.

The mystery caught the attention of Emanuel Stamatakis, who embarked on a months-long quest for answers.

“I was driving down I-10 and I look up and I see these lights that are on in the middle of the day,” Stamatakis said, pointing out multiple light poles illuminated despite the sunshine. “I mean it’s wasteful as far as taxpayer dollars.”

The Technical Explanation

The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) told KPRC 2’s Gage Goulding that the around-the-clock illumination is due to an ongoing “burn test” of newly installed LED lighting along the freeway from Interstate 45 to State Highway 6.

“The high-mast lighting has recently been retro

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