Electrical Contractor Magazine – LED Light, Green Light: Chicago Turns on LED Streetlights

An LED street-lighting transformation is on the rise. Cities considering smart street-lighting advancements more than doubled to 59, according to the Northeast Group LLC, a Washington, D.C., smart infrastructure market intelligence firm. The firm reported that major U.S. cities pursuing a conversion to LED has grown from 107 in 2018 to 185 today. Chicago is one of the leaders as it wraps up the fourth and final phase of its Chicago Smart Lighting Program. Begun in 2017, the program represents the largest municipal-owned project in the country.

The Chicago Department of Transportation (CDOT) is responsible for the city’s public way infrastructure. Lighting has been a major component of a much-needed public services upgrade, and LED was the answer.

“We discussed capital costs, utility costs and maintenance,” said Oswaldo Chaves, deputy commissioner at CDOT. “After studying what other cities had done, we came up with a program to replace 80% of our city lighting with LED.”

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