GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WZZM)- Drivers and pedestrians might not notice but above Fulton Street are new fixtures to light the future.
"We've tried two prototypes," said Mayor George Heartwell.
The Mayor showed us the new models.
"We've now received two new lamp heads that we will be installing and running tests on, over the course of the next several months," Heartwell said.
The existing LED fixtures are shy of 60 percent energy savings the city was aiming for. These latest fixtures will be installed in their place along Fulton Street between Division and Gay.
"That one has a prism diffuser over each of the LED lights," said Mayor Heartwell.
Light must be distributed evenly to the street and sidewalks. As it is now via the traditional cobra head lights, but those traditional fixtures take up 25 percent of the city's electric bill.
"That's energy costs of over $1 million a year and to the extent we can reduce that is money to our bottom line," said City Manager Eric Delong.
City commissioners already gave the go-ahead for LED bulbs used in 70 percent of traffic signals. They save enough energy to run electricity in 50 households for one year.
If the new street light models are successful Grand Rapids could lead the way for other communities.
"With each prototype that we install we're getting better results, better light power better energy efficiency. We'll get there," said Heartwell.
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