A trial ought to be done in Chicago at least. What's the down side? Get the manufacturer (Cree Lighting) to spring for a few dozen lights as part of a 5 year contract - Chicago is a big city.
Ann Arbor, Michigan plans to convert all of its more than 1,000 streetlights to LED (light-emitting-diode) lamps, at a cost of over $600,000. The city expects to save at least $100,000 a year in costs, and reduce greenhouse emissions by over 2,400 tons annually.
"The LED lights typically burn five times longer than the bulbs they replace and require less than half the energy. Each fixture draws 56 watts and is projected to last 10 years, replacing fixtures with bulbs that use more than 120 watts and last only two years."
[Click to continue reading ArchitectureChicago PLUS - LED Streetlights?]
Lynn Becker also points out that there would be a substantial labor savings if the street lights lasted longer.
