Energy

Nov 27, 2023

SUPERIOR — The city could be making some energy-efficient improvements to streetlights.

With the help of a $74,059 grant through the Carbon Reduction Program funded as part of Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the city is going to be able to purchase about 534 LED fixtures to replace high-pressure sodium lights along East Second Street and Tower Avenue.

The plan approved Thursday, July 6 by the Public Works Committee calls for a city match of $18,515.

Between a planning grant and Focus on Energy incentives, the city will get about $50,000 back to pay for installation costs, said Todd Janigo, Public Works director.

“What is our energy savings for this?” Councilor Tylor Elm asked.

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Janigo said the conversion, which is likely to happen next year, is 40% per fixture. He said his goal is to have the new fixtures in Superior by the end of 2023 or early 2024.

“It’s foolish not to do this,” Elm said.

The lights officials are planning to purchase are International Dark-Sky Association certified and have a color temperature of 2700 Kelvin, which are similar to the color emitted by an incandescent light bulb.

“If we’re going to do it, let’s do it right,” Councilor Jenny Van Sickle said. “It’s just below what Dark Sky calls best practice … it’s another benefit to public spending.”

At temperatures below 3000K, LED lights emit a warm color, with bright white light falling between 3000K and 4900K, and cool white above 5000K. Above 5,500K, the light glows with a bluish tint.

“The lower Kelvin is proven to be better for human health and public safety,” Van Sickle said. “I think this project would be a really good addition to our Bird City status because of how this benefits birds.”

In the studies Mayor Jim Paine read, he said they spoke about how less light safer, because more light means more darkness outside of its reach. It’s something he said he experienced running on the Osaugie trail, where spotlights from area businesses made him blind in dark areas of the trail.

“It looks better; it looks nicer in a community,” Paine said.

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The City Council will consider the proposal Tuesday, July 18.

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