LED Streetlights Coming to a Street Near You

The City of Asheville has moved into the third and final phase of the streetlight upgrade program in which traditional bulbs will be replaced by LED (light-emitting diodes) fixtures. When complete in June 2013, all roads within city limits – except those maintained by the NC Department of Transportation – will be lighted by LED fixtures. Upgrades will take place on Mondays through Thursdays between the hours of 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. with no expectations of traffic disruption.  Installations will begin at the base of city limits in south Asheville this fall, moving to east Asheville this winter and concluding in north Asheville next spring.

Over the past two years the city has upgraded 3,400 street lights to energy-efficient LED technology. When the program is completed, the city will have installed 7,400 fixtures, saving an expected $450,000 annually and reducing its carbon footprint by 1,294 tons – equivalent to the emissions from burning seven rail cars of coal.

When the upgrade program began the municipal budget for streetlights was $1.7 million annually; the first and second phases of this program have already resulted in $165,000 of energy savings. The long-term savings is substantial enough that in addition to all streetlights being upgraded the majority of the sustainability program activities are being funded through this source.

The City of Asheville is the first in the nation to implement this innovative financial model, called the Green Capital Improvement Program. These lighting upgrades build further upon the successful lighting ordinance passed in 2008 which ensures all municipal streetlights adhere to “Dark Sky” standards.