Bright idea to light up city streets
Albury’s streets will be safer and brighter at night, with work now under way on installing thousands of modern, energy-efficient LED lamps in street lights across the city.
A total of $3.2M will be spent on the project but as LED lights use much less power, last longer, and have lower maintenance costs, the installation expenses will be recovered within four years.
In fact, the switch to LED is expected to reduce overall costs to the community by $779,000 per year, meaning the savings can be directed towards other projects and services.
AlburyCity Councillor David Thurley said the LED transformation was also good news for the environment.
“Apart from significantly reduced power use, helping to further cut our carbon footprint, LED lights don’t contain mercury or lead so they don’t release poisonous gases if damaged,” he said.
“And unlike the old halogen lamps, LEDs don’t need to warm up, meaning they come to full brightness as soon as they’re switched on which helps to make our streets safer after dark.”
Essential Energy’s street light manager, Waide Elliott, said the organisation was working closely with council and was committed to providing information and services that are appropriate to the community.
“Public lighting plays an important role in providing safe, secure and attractive public areas for both pedestrians and motorists,” he said.
“It also represents between 25 and 70 per cent of any individual local government’s corporate energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions so Albury’s new LED lighting will not only provide a more reliable, better quality lighting service, but will deliver those significant savings to the community.”
LED lighting has already been installed in some new subdivisions in Albury but the ongoing rollout will see about 7,500 old-style lamps replaced across the city.
The replacement program is expected to be completed in 20 weeks.
The replacement of a small number of LED lamps will be deferred as part of the initial rollout.
This includes lights on decorative, heritage style poles that line the streets of the Albury and Lavington CBDs as well as some new housing estates.
Council will consult with the respective local areas on lamp replacement options and the best approach to converting these lights to LED in the future.