Honolulu is finally kicking off the project to replace all 53,000 street lights on Oahu with energy-efficient LED lamps.
Already, state roadways, including the H-1 Freeway and the Wilson, Pali, and Harano tunnels utilize LED lamps. Now the city is finally ready to follow suit.
Mayor Kirk Caldwell said in a statement, “Pedestrians will be seen. Drivers and vehicles will see each other better.”
While the original financing proposal included plans to convert the entire island, the city has only installed LED lamps as part of a pilot program in a few Oahu neighborhoods.
The total project will cost $46.6 million, which is much less than it would have cost a year ago, according to officials. Johnson Controls will install the new LED lamps.
Robert Kroning, the city’s director of Design and Construction, explained that the city is financing the project, rather than paying up front. Additionally, the city plans on paying for it through the energy savings over the years.
According to Kroning, the savings will total $5 million each year, meaning the project will be paid for in 10 years.
Officials also say the city will be using 60% less energy to power the LED lights. This equals the elimination of 14,400 tons of greenhouse gases. Additionally, LEDs use only about 15% of the energy that a standard halogen light uses, while providing 85% more light output.
The city will be utilizing new LEDs, which don’t emit as much blue light. Too much blue light can increase glare.
LEDs with a color temperature of 4000K, which are brighter, will be used on arterial streets. LEDs with a color temperature of 3000K, with less blue light, will be used in residential areas.
The project is expected to begin in early 2018 and will take about two years to complete.
But Oahu isn’t the only place in American getting a light upgrade. All across the nation, more and more cities are choosing to invest in LED street lights for their safety and environmental benefits.
Lafayette, Louisiana is also expected to have energy-efficient and longer-lasting LED street lights implemented in the near future.
While a section of downtown Lafayette was fitted with LED bulbs in October, officials are now looking at the rest of the city.
City workers are in the process of evaluating the lighting needs throughout different parts of the city.
“Besides the fact that these LED lights only use about half as much electricity as compared to current conventional lights, LED lights last much longer — meaning fewer lights going out and fewer truck rolls to replace the failed lights,” said Terry Huval, Lafayette Utilities System Director.
Within three years, officials plan to have replaced all city street lights in places served by LUS with LED lights.
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