More energy-efficient lights will be installed in decorative streetlights in the city.
A total of 326 streetlights will be retrofitted with LED lights in phase one of the project.
The decorative lights are in the downtown area, including Tuscarawas Street W, Market Avenue, Cleveland Avenue, McKinley Avenue, Walnut Avenue, the Timken High School campus, the Millennium and Cornerstone parking decks and some neighborhood areas, according to the city engineer's office.
The city projects annual electric bill savings of roughly $10,000. Savings in materials and equipment will average roughly $20,000 annually over the next 10 years, said Eduardo Molina, a traffic engineering technician for the city.
FEDERAL FUNDING
Federal stimulus funding is paying for the first phase of the project. The funds formally are known as the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The city has entered a grant agreement with the U.S. Department of Energy, Molina said.
The total cost for phase one is approximately $200,000, including supplies, equipment and labor. The cost of the second phase has not been determined. The city will seek additional funds for the second phase, which includes about 340 additional streetlights, according to the engineer's office.
ENERGY EFFICIENCY
LED lights consume 40 to 50 percent less energy and have a service life that is four to five times longer than high-pressure sodium lights, according to the engineer's office.
The project is part of an overall switch to LED lights. Last year, the city and American Electric Power launched an experimental program, replacing high-pressure sodium lights with LED technology in streetlights over Market Avenue near 40th Street.
About five years ago, the city began switching traffic signals from incandescent bulbs to LED lights.
City Engineer Daniel Moeglin said that 1,200 traffic signal lights are being replaced with LED lights. About 55 of the illuminated roadway name signs also are being replaced with LEDs, he said.
Those projects also are being funded with federal stimulus dollars, Moeglin said.
LED TECHNOLOGY
LED stands for light-emitting diode. According to the Tech Terms Computer Dictionary, an LED is an electronic device that emits light when an electrical current is passed through it.
LED technology is used for clock displays, electronic signs and flashlights, according to Tech Terms. Now the technology is being used for streetlights and types of decorative lighting.
The city has selected Michigan-based Relume Technologies to supply LED light engines to upgrade the city's decorative lighting fixtures.
Relume's retrofit fixtures fit most top lights, allowing the city to upgrade to LED light engines in minutes, the company said in a press release.
The new light engines will lower the city's energy consumption and the resulting carbon footprint, the release said.
In addition to reducing energy and maintenance costs, the bright white LEDs provide a clear, crisp daylight look for enhanced visibility and safety, the press release said.
