Superintendent of Traffic, Clark Williams, recently announced the City of Bellingham plans to replace all of its aging streetlights with LED fixtures that will be brighter and more efficient, saving the city 50% over the old-style lights.
The project is partially funded by a grant from the Department of Commerce and utility rebates from Puget Sound Energy. Combined with the cost savings of LED lights in general, the project is expected to pay for itself after just 12 years.
The new lights bring several great perks including a nodes that notify the central network when a lights fails. The new fixtures are guaranteed by the manufacturer to last for 10 years, but their expected lifespan is closer to double that length.
Plus, LEDs produce a more natural color that mimics the effect of moonlight.