NYC's 250,000 Street Lights To Be Replaced With LEDs By 2017

An anonymous reader writes "New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg announced that the city's 250,000 street light fixtures, which currently use incandescent bulbs, will be replaced with LEDs by 2017. It's part of a plan to reduce the city government's emissions by 30%. The LEDs have a lifespan of 20 years, more than three times that of the current incandescent bulbs, and Bloomberg says it will save $6 million in energy and $8 million in maintenance every year. It will be the largest LED retrofit in the country. 'The first of three phases to replace the standard "cobra-head" high-pressure sodium street lights, which will upgrade 80,000 at a time across the five boroughs, is expected to be completed in December 2015 with the final phase expected to be completed by 2017. Following the replacement of roadway lighting, decorative fixtures in the city's business and commercial districts will be addressed.'"

Comments

Re:I wish they'd do it here.

[AK Marc]

I've read that streetlights don't help with traffic crashes at all (crash rates in lit areas is roughly the same as unlit areas). But people cling to things emotionally, not logically. Streetlamps for pedestrian safety reduce safety, and speed bumps increase traffic crashes and reduce safety, but people will insist on both because their (broken) common sense says it should be best.