City Utilities installing LED street lights in Springfield

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (KY3) - You may start noticing brighter lights on Springfield streets.

City Utilities is making the switch from traditional bulbs to new posts with LED technology.

“I turn on my garage lights at night for extra light,” said Billy Craig.

In addition to her porch lights, she says she relies on the street lamps outside of her home in south Springfield. She says she’s called City Utilities a few times for maintenance issues.

“The bulb was out. I needed it to get into the garage safely. It took a while for them to get out here but they did,” she said.

Recently, a new light source has made it’s way to her neighborhood and several others around town.

“Technology has really changed in everything and even with street lights,” said Joel Alexander with City Utilities.

Crews have started replacing the traditional high-pressure sodium street lights to poles with LED panels. They burn brighter compared to the yellow glow given off by what we’re used to seeing.

There will be a cost savings over time.

The panels do not have bulbs making them easier to maintain.

Alexander said, “We do have one neighborhood that you’re starting to see pretty much the entire neighborhood. We’ve had some issues there for several years so we’re just going to go ahead and tackle that one.”

Luckily that’s the neighborhood Craig lives in. She says the brighter look around her home is comforting.

“Also it makes a difference in the back of my property,” she said.

The newer lights also cuts down glare increasing safety.

“In some ways it gives a greater sense of security and just a brighter way for people to drive down the streets,” said Alexander.

Craig says she appreciates the added level of protection for her neighborhood.

“It’s a safety for all of us,” she said.

There are more than 22,000 street lights in Springfield. It would cost about $15 million to change all of them at once.

Instead the old ones will be replaced gradually, when they fail or are destroyed in some way.

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