Street Light Upgrades Will Save Medford $250K Yearly: Officials

MEDFORD, MA – Medford Mayor Stephanie M. Burke last week requested that the Medford City Council approve a loan to fund upgrades of all city-owned outdoor lighting, which officials say will save the city over $250,000 annually.

According to a statement from the city, half the project will be funded by grants and incentives currently available, and the city will recoup the other half in savings in just under four years.

The project involves replacing the standard "cobra head" street lights, flood lights and decorative floodlights with long-lasting LED fixtures. It will also upgrade decorative fixtures in Medford Square to match the lighting of the fixtures now on the Craddock Bridge.

LED lighting fixtures provide a higher quality of light and direct lights at the ground, making them safer at night and allowing them to use less energy. Each will be equipped with a monitoring system that would allow the city to know when a light went out, allowing it to be quickly replaced.

"By converting municipally owned streetlights into energy efficient LEDs will lead to more reduced energy costs and better road safety," Mayor Stephanie M. Burke said in a statement. "LED streetlights are longer lasting than other common street lighting technologies, saving the City money both on electricity as well as with operations and maintenance in repairs, while improving visibility."

The projected is expected to pay for itself with no impact to the budget, according to a statement from the city. These savings will more than offset the financing of the project thus pay for itself with no impact to the budget.

The lighting upgrade project is being managed by the Director of Energy & Environment, Alicia Hunt, in consultation with the Superintendent of Wires, Steven Randazzo. Questions about the project can be directed to Alicia at ahunt@medford-ma.gov or 781-393-2137.

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