Streetlight replacement project heads north; will new LED lights come to Eastlake?

Seattle City Light’s four-year “re-lamping” project for streetlights is headed Eastlake’s way, and it may include installation of the new LED lights seen on Capitol Hill and elsewhere in the city.

Suzanne Hartman, director of Communications and Public Affairs for City Light, says this year’s re-lamping work will start at Denny Way and go north to 65th, starting sometime at the end of March. The schedule isn’t set yet so she can't say when the work will get to Eastlake. 

As part of the project, City Light is using federal stimulus dollars to replace high pressure sodium (HSP) lights with light emitting diode (LED) lights that are brighter, last longer (12-15 years versus four to six for HPS) and cost less to operate. 

In an article written in February, City Councilmember Bruce Harrell and City Light Superintendent Jorge Carrasco said approximately 5,000 LED lights will be installed in this first round. Eventually, all 84,000 city streetlights will be replaced with the new technology.

If you’ve seen the new lights, you know that they are much brighter than the older lights and that the light has an intense, blue/white color. The photo with this post was taken at 10th Ave. E. and E. Aloha, one of the areas that was lit with the LED bulbs last year.

In their article about streetlights, Harrell and Carrasco said City Light is seeking data on the new lamps:

Right now, City Light is testing various types of LED lamps to determine light quality. City Light’s Lighting Design Lab is evaluating comments received from the pilot neighborhoods and providing feedback to lamp manufacturers to identify the most versatile, standard streetlight available. A variety of factors are taken into consideration to arrive at the best lamp alternative. For instance, how the streetlight will be used and where it will be use are taken into account.

Hartman says some people like the new lamps, others don’t. “We try to work with neighborhoods on the light quality,” she says.

Neighbors who questions or opinions about the LED lights should get in touch with Edward Smalley at edward.smalley@seattle.gov, she says.

If you want more information about City Light’s re-lamping project, or if you want to report a burned out lamp (they say they’ll fix them in less than 10 days), there’s a form on the Web site. You can also call 206-684-7056.