Fremont’s traditional high-pressure sodium streetlights will be replaced with light emitting diode (LED) lights later this year. Seattle City Light says the LED lights will last longer and use about half the energy as those currently in use.
At an event last evening, crews showed off the difference between the current lights and the LED. Although the LED lights come in a range of colors, Seattle has chosen a white light similar to moonlight. You can see the difference in light lighting in the video on the West Seattle Blog.
Initially, 5,000 LED lights will be installed on residential streets in Ballard, Fremont, South Greenlake, Eastlake, and the University District, followed by a city-wide transition over the next five years. Seattle City Light conducted pilot projects on Capitol Hill and in South Park, “The approval rate in Capitol Hill was 85 percent. Many positive comments have been received from South Park while survey results are being calculated. The U.S. Department of Energy has received similar responses in its satisfaction surveys about LED streetlights across the country,” a fact sheet handed out at the event states.
The first phase of the project is being funded by $1 million in federal stimulus package money and $1.5 million from City Light.