GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — The city of Grand Rapids announced it is almost finished with replacing 18,000 streetlights with LEDs.
We’re told 15,000 streetlights have been converted to date, putting the project at 80% complete.
One thousand LED lights will be installed per month for the next three months — weather permitting — as the project enters its final phase, city officials say.
The following map shows the remaining focus areas where streetlights will be converted to LEDs in the months ahead:
No traffic disruptions are expected.
The city says the project has reduced its electric bill by a “significant” margin already, with annual savings estimated at $350,000 once completed.
“Our primary goal in arriving at this decision was the safety of our residents and neighborhoods, which is a critical objective in the City’s strategic plan,” says City Engineer Tim Burkman. “We know that most accidents involving pedestrians and bicyclists happen at night, and many of those are the result of poor visibility. Additionally, better lighting will make residents feel safer in their own neighborhoods — cities like Detroit have seen great results when they transitioned to this LED temperature for their street lighting.”
Visit the city's website for more information on its LED color temperature selection process.
