Downtown Trenton to Shine Brighter

The Downtown area of Trenton will shine a little brighter after new light-emitting diode or LED technology replaces dated bulbs in ornamental streetlights that line West Jefferson Avenue.

There are 161 streetlights along West Jefferson Avenue and St. Joseph Avenue, and each light has high-pressure sodium bulbs that use a relatively high amount of energy. The new LED fixtures are highly efficient and are expected to reduce energy consumption according to a release from the Trenton Engineering Department.

The City of Trenton was awarded an Advanced Lighting Technology grant to help pay for the new bulbs. The streetlights will require the new bulbs to be retrofitted inside glass globes covering the lighting elements.

The LED fixtures will provide a whiter, brighter light, which will improve visibility and safety according to the release.

After the project is complete the City of Trenton anticipates a reduction of energy consumption by about 60 percent.

The LED fixtures will also cost less to maintain and have a longer life expectancy than the current bulbs. The new fixtures last over three times longer than the current bulbs.

Look for city employees to begin working on the project in April. The project is slated for completion by June.

The U.S. Department of Energy and the Michigan Economic Development Corporation/Michigan Energy Office made the grant possible.