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These 'Smart' Street Lights Do More Than Illuminate a City

As cities embark on light replacement campaigns, many are simultaneously experimenting with smart technology that can be attached to utility poles and used to collect data on everything from traffic patterns to snow accumulation.

By Andrea Noble

A New York initiative to retrofit street lights across the state with energy-efficient LED technology is shining a light on more than just cost savings.

As cities embark on light replacement campaigns, many are simultaneously experimenting with smart technology that can be attached to utility poles and used to collect data on everything from traffic patterns to snow accumulation.

Syracuse, which announced its plan to purchase and retrofit 18,000 streetlights from the  National Grid utility company last year, began the process of retrofitting LED lights and installing light control sensors this month, according to Sam Edelstein, the city’s chief data officer. The sensors will allow city officials to control street lights' brightness and receive alerts when the lights go out. Syracuse lawmakers approved $38 million bond financing for the project. Once the streetlight conversion is complete, Syracuse Mayor Ben Walsh said the city is expected to save $3 million annually.

But along with the retrofitting process, the city is also examining other types of smart technology that could be attached to the newly acquired utility poles and feed into broader smart technology initiatives.

“As we are deploying this technology, we are doing so to enhance the level of services we are providing,” Walsh said during a presentation last week in Washington, D.C. on the city’s streetlight plan.

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