LED Streetlight Program to Bring Energy Efficiency and Cost Savings to Weymouth
Weymouth, MA – In mid-November, the Town of Weymouth will begin installation of new LED streetlights as part of the Department of Energy Resources (DOER) LED Streetlight Conversion Program. In 2017, the Town adopted the LED Streetlight Conversion Program as a cost-effective measure not only to realize long-term savings through the reduction of energy consumption and longer-lasting infrastructure but also to better illuminate streets and roadways to increase road safety for motorists and pedestrians. The grant funding will cover about 25 percent of total material and labor costs for the streetlight conversions, equal to a total award of $303,000.
The LED Streetlight Conversion Program is funded through DOER and helps communities convert traditional streetlights to longer-lasting, brighter LED streetlights. DOER partnered with the Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC), the regional planning agency for Greater Boston, to identify vendors that could conduct the retrofit for the new street lights. Weymouth is among 40 other Massachusetts municipalities benefitting from the program. Light fixture retrofitting work is scheduled to begin in Weymouth in mid-November and will be completed in January of 2019.
“The conversion to LED streetlights will help the Town achieve its goals of finding long-term cost savings while also meeting clean energy standards that align with the other energy policies adopted in town such as our Green Communities designation,” said Mayor Robert Hedlund. “The added public safety improvements through better visibility and illumination of roadways, makes this grant opportunity an all-around win for Weymouth.”
Through a Request for Proposals (RFP) process led by MAPC, Weymouth awarded a contract to Tanko Lighting for streetlight audit, design, and engineering services. A streetlight audit and improved design results in fewer areas that are over- or under-lit. After the completion of those services, controllers and software were procured and awarded to CIMCON Lighting. In the last phase of the process, Coviello Electric, Inc. was awarded the contract to install over 4,000 lights including cobraheads (traditional streetlights), decorative light fixtures, and flood lights throughout Town. The Town selected GE light fixtures that are distributed by GrayBar Electric. The LED lights will reduce light pollution because of the shape of the lens and will better illuminate areas than traditional high pressure sodium lights due to the difference in the color of the light. All vendors awarded the contracts for services were evaluated through the RFP process and vetted through communications with other communities currently under contract for the services. They all received quality recommendations from participating communities.
About the LED Streetlight Conversion Program
In 2016, the Baker-Polito administration approved over $11 million in grant funds for the LED Streetlight Conversion program. In 2017, an additional $4.3 million in grant funding was administered to the partnering municipalities. Weymouth will benefit from this grant funding which will cover the cost of 25 percent of the materials and installation of the new streetlights. The total program will see a return on investment in just three and half years, resulting in cost-savings for the town after the initial investment in the program is recuperated.