Gloucester City located in Massachusetts, U.S. will be upgrading its streetlights to warm 3,000K LED lights, reported Gloucester Times.
The city’s Department of Community Development drew 50 to 55 responses from residents to decide which streetlights to choose for its $1 million-plus light replacement project, said Matt Coogan, Gloucester’s senior planner.
According to Coogan, about 90% of residents that sampled lights installed in upper Washiongton Street near Gee Avenue in October preferred the 3,000K LED streetlights over the brighter but harsher 4,000K lights.
The city is opting the softer lights, said Coogan. The current financing plan also suggests the city will start generating net savings once the lights are switched on next year. The city’s streetlight upgrade project involves nearly 2,800 lights, which costs a grand sum of $1 million from National Grid in October 2014, is being paid with a $240,000 Green Communities grant.
Financial incentives and reimbursements from National Grid for the more energy-efficient LED lights will total $210,000, reducing the city’s net cost to just over $900,000, said City Council President Paul McGeary.
The lease or purchase borrowing agreement is also being supported the Budget and Finance Committee, due to the full council approval at the council’s Tuesday night meeting at City Hall.
The LEDs are projected to save the city $137,495 annually of its cost of more than $260,000.
The city is working with contractor Siemens, a German lighting and engineering company that is working with nine different Massachusetts communities over the past year. It will take six weeks to acquire the lighting orders, and eight weeks to finish the installations. The lighting installations are expected to be completed by March, he added.
The choice of lights were based on residents that raised questions about the initial proposal to use 4,000K LED streetlights. Some of the residents were members of the Gloucester Area Astronomy Club, that raised concerns the lights were affecting the city night sky.
Coogan also pointed out research has shown harsher, brighter and bluer lights could have a damaging effect on surrounding wildlife.
