South Bend, Indiana Michigan Power install LED street lights

Nov 21, 2023

SOUTH BEND — Streets will be taking on a different hue in the next several months as the city and Indiana Michigan Power begin the process of converting thousands of street lights from sodium vapor to energy efficient LEDs.

The city only owns about 3,000 of its street lights and about 75% of those have already been converted. But the remainder – about 9,000 – are owned by I&M and the city pays a monthly fee for the maintenance and the electricity to keep them on.

As part of a previous rate case, I&M agreed to convert the street lights it owns in South Bend from sodium vapor to LED. Because the new lights are considerably more energy efficient, the city will reduce its energy consumption and its carbon footprint moving forward.

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It also expects to have fewer reports of street lights going out because the lifespan of LED street lights is about 10 years, compared to about 2.5 years for a sodium vapor, Eric Horvath, the city's public works director, explained. "With as many as there are, we get complaints every week about lights being out," he said.

I&M already has begun the process of installing 50 new LED lights in select areas in the near northwest side so that city officials and residents can see how they look, especially in comparison with the sodium vapor lights.

Test sections are being installed along Lincoln Way West, from about Wilber Street to just beyond College Street, along Wilber Street from about Vassar Avenue to Elwood Avenue, and along O’Brien and Johnson streets from Vassar to nearly Elwood Avenue and lastly, along Portage Avenue from Marquette Boulevard to just beyond Hamilton Street.

"We put the test lights in neighborhoods and along some thoroughfares so that people can see how they look in comparison to the old lights," said Horvath. The city will accept feedback on the lighting through March 11 with an online survey that is available at southbendin.gov/led.

City Council President Sharon McBride, D-3, said she likes the idea of getting feedback from the public because lighting is one of those issues that's always at the top of neighborhood concerns. Good lighting, she said, makes people feel safer at night because the elimination of dark spots ultimately reduces opportunities for criminal activity.

"Better lighting might help with everything from violence to theft of catalytic converters," she pointed out.

Those in the near west side of the city have long complained about the lack of attention by the city when it comes to everything from support for small businesses, sometimes dangerous sidewalks and inadequate lighting, among other things.

Starting the lighting project in that area could prove meaningful.

"Violence often operates in the dark," said Councilman Henry Davis Jr., D-2. "I’m happy that they’re starting here, but I’ll remain skeptical until the work is completed."

McBride encouraged residents and businesses to participate in the survey or reach out to their council representative to express their views or ask questions. "We’re excited that it's begun because good lighting is an important quality of life issue."

Besides being more efficient and longer-lasting, the test lights will appear to be slightly brighter than the yellowish sodium vapor lights that are rated at 2,200 Kelvin on the color scale. The new LED lights, which are rated at 3,000 K, are still considered warm, but at the upper end of what's recommended by the American Medical Association.

Chuck Bueter, an amateur astronomer in Granger, applauded the city for taking a test approach to changing the city's lights rather than just changing all of them out without regard to the public. Though he wishes the light was slightly lower – or more yellowish – on the lighting scale, he said it's more important that the light be directed downward.

"It's important to keep the light below the horizon," said Bueter, who maintains a website called nightwise.org that focuses on astronomy and ways to reduce light pollution. "You know the pollution is bad when it lights up the underside of the clouds."

Horvath said the LED lights the city will be using should make it easier to see the color and read road signs on thoroughfares. "It will be safer for people driving cars because they can see better," he said.

At the same time, the lights will be more directional so as not to spill light into the windows of homes and apartments where people might be sleeping – and possibly screwing up their so-called circadian rhythm.

"The light should be more natural for people," he said.

The LED conversion program is separate from the Light Up South Bend initiative, which has aimed to reduce dark spots in the city's neighborhoods through the select installation of additional street lights or even the installation of solar-powered lampposts since 2015.

The city wants I&M to complete the LED conversion program before resuming that effort so that residents and city officials can first see the results of the new LED lights, Horvath explained.

"We hope to have this completed by the fall, then we can go out and assess any additional gaps," he said.