Parts of Waterbury are a little brighter after 60 new LED lights were installed on Meadow Street. It is part of a pilot program that Eversource hopes will take off. City officials say it could end up saving them money, while making the streets in their community safer.
“The feedback you get is definitely the brightness gives you a safer feeling than the standard street lights you’ve seen for years and years,” Waterbury Chief of Staff Joseph Geary said.
Not only do the old sodium lights require more maintenance, but also more money. Waterbury budgets 1.2 million a year for their 7,000 street lights. Most of the cost comes from the energy, and LEDs use less.
“We’re new to the game, but certainly very interested in cost savings,” Geary said. “A little savings in the budget goes a long way."
Twenty communities are signed up for the pilot program to see if it is worth making the switch. They have agreed to give Eversource feedback after the lights are installed. In some towns, they are strategically placing the lights in areas to try and cut down on motor-vehicle accidents.
In Waterbury, city officials chose Meadow Street because of its amount of car and foot traffic. They say the brighter lights could lead to less crime.
“It certainly could be a crime preventer and I think it gives the residents just a greater sense of security,” Geary said.
They plan on having the lights installed on two more streets before they decide if they want to switch the entire city.
