More than 500 Marion County intersections will be getting brighter, more energy efficient stoplights.
The project to retrofit existing lights with Light-Emitting Diodes LEDs which require less maintenance,
Enhancing public safety and quality of life in our neighborhoods have always been top priorities, said Mayor Greg Ballard. The installation of brighter, energy-efficient traffic signals allows us to become a more sustainable city and enhance motorist safety, while cutting costs at the same time.
The change over is funded through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The City of Indianapolis will spend about $1 million on the change out of the $8,032,300 it received to make energy efficient changes.
LEDs typically use a tenth of the energy their incandescent counterparts use. Last year the city paid $604,666 for traffic signal energy use. The LED conversion is expected to save about $250,000 in annual energy costs - a savings of almost 60 percent over previous years.
There are about eight traffic signals at each of Marion County's 1,150 intersections. Since 2008, the City has retrofitted signal lights at 595 intersections. DPW expects to complete the remaining intersections by fall of 2010.
