Pittsburgh isn't using federal money to replace 40,000 streetlights with light-emitting diode, or LED, lights. At least not yet.
The city is digging into its budget and using $816,000 in state money from a Duquesne Light Co. rate settlement to pay for the estimated $2.1 million first phase, which involves replacing 3,200 streetlights in business districts throughout the city, including Downtown.
BetaLED of Racine, Wis., and King Luminaire of Jefferson, Ohio, got the contract for the first phase work, which will begin in November, Joanna Doven, spokeswoman for Mayor Luke Ravenstahl, told the Tribune-Review.
Though not the lowest bid, their LED lights were deemed to be more in line with the city's "Made in America" policy than the dozen other proposals, she said.
It is unclear where the city will get money to continue the switch and which areas would get new lights next, said Jim Sloss, Pittsburgh's energy and utilities manager.
City officials will "look for potential grants out there from other areas and from the state" and seek private partners to help pay for other phases, he said.
Mayor Luke Ravenstahl originally announced the city would spend $1 million from $3.4 million in federal stimulus dollars for streetlights, but the money went to heating and cooling system work at the City-County Building, according to federal documents.
Since 2008, Pittsburgh politicians have planned to switch streetlights from high-pressure sodium lights to LED because the latter are brighter, use less energy and last longer
Although LED streetlights then cost about $1,000 each, that cost now for the most used fixtures is under $400 per fixture, Sloss said.
If prices continue to fall, he said the cost for replacing city streetlights during the next five years could be under the estimated $24 million.
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