DENVER — Tens of thousands of streetlights across the city of Denver will be converted to Light Emitting Diodes, or LEDs, the city announced Tuesday.
The announcement was made at the intersection of South Federal Boulevard and Exposition Avenue, where Xcel Energy crews marked the occasion by changing out a traditional bulb to a LED.
Crews will begin the conversion of the streetlights immediately. The first phase focuses on Federal Boulevard and Colfax Avenue, two stretches on the city’s High Injury Network (HIN). The HIN represents corridors within the city where the highest number of fatal and injury crashes occur. The HIN area includes just 5 percent of Denver streets, yet accounts for 50 percent of traffic deaths, according to the city.
Installation of LED lights specifically addresses an action item in Denver’s Vision Zero Action Plan to implement safety treatments along HIN roadways.
Work to convert the street lights will be completed over a one-year period, with three additional phases scheduled to move west to east across the city.
LEDs are considered one of the most energy-efficient and durable lighting technologies, and their installation is expected to save the city 4 to 7 percent in energy costs.
Residents can learn more and see the progress of this conversion work on the city’s website at www.denvergov.org/visionzero. Progress on the city’s climate change efforts can be viewed on the 2020 Sustainability Program page.
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