Soon the streetlights throughout Grand Rapids will be switched over to LED streetlights, which will both serve the city money and adds a level of safety, as the Grand Rapids City Commission voted for the change on Tuesday, according to Fox 17.

The change is not only supposed to save the city money as LED lights take less energy to light, but they're also better for the environment and because they display more light and last longer, adds to the safety aspect for residents and pedestrian, which is also quite high and favorable.

Fox 17 says that once all 18,000 or so streetlights are finally replaced, the city of Grand Rapids plans to save almost $350,000 in energy costs.  The city already has already awarded a contract valued at $6.2 million to Strain Electric for the replacement of the streetlights.

James Hurt, Managing Director of Public Services, told Fox 17,

“Our primary goal in arriving at this decision was the safety of our residents and neighborhoods, which is a critical objective in the City’s strategic plan. We know that most accidents involving pedestrians and bicyclists happen at night, and many of those are the result of poor visibility. Additionally, better lighting will make residents feel safer in their own neighborhoods.”

The project of replacing the 18,000 streetlights will begin soon and be completed by mid to late 2022 as Fox 17 reports it will take about a year and a half to finish.

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