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Scranton Switching to LED Streetlights

SCRANTON — Some people in Scranton are seeing their city in a whole new light.  A project to replace every Scranton streetlight to LED is almost finished....

SCRANTON -- Some people in Scranton are seeing their city in a whole new light.  A project to replace every Scranton streetlight to LED is almost finished.

A crew from Urban Electric has seen every part of the city of Scranton from a bucket truck.

They are making the city brighter streetlight by streetlight.  There are more than 6,000 of them. The crew started this fall removing the old streetlights and replacing them with new LED bulbs. They are about three quarters of the way through the city.

"It depends how many crews we have out. Right now we have three crews out on the streets, so it varies on how close the lights are, what the weather is, just try to get as many done as you can," said MArk Gallagher of Urban Electric.

Its costing $4 million to replace the lights.  But, city officials said it will pay for itself in savings. The electric bill should go down about $400,000 dollars per year.
The new LED bulbs save the city money.  Once it`s completed, the lighting system will cut down on what the mayor says is the number one complaint to City Hall.

"There`s not a day that goes by here that we don`t get at least one call about a street light out," Scranton Mayor Bill Courtright said.

Mayor Courtright said each light will be connected through a wireless system, so the DPW will be able to quickly spot if a light is broken.

"It`s a better quality light, it`s a light that will last a lot longer than what we have now, so we won`t have as many complaints. And always when I discuss with the police department, when we talk about crime, they say well lit areas are less apt to have crime," Courtright added.

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