Winter Park has taken another step to improve sustainability by taking advantage of a local program to replace street lights with more efficient bulbs.
On Tuesday, the town council authorized the town to participate in Mountain Parks Electric’s street light replacement program. Currently, there are 46 street lights in Winter Park, not including those on Main Street, and only two are fitted with LED bulbs.
Through the program, Mountain Parks Electric will install LED bulbs in 44 street lights, not including those along US Highway 40, for no upfront cost.
“From my perspective, the proposal … is actually a much cheaper approach and program than I’ve seen in other communities,” Town Manager Keith Riesberg told the council.
The street lights in town are owned and maintained by Mountain Parks Electric, but the town is responsible for paying for the electricity.
With no upfront cost, the town will be responsible for paying the same electricity rate, which is $611 a month on average, for the first six years before seeing the reduced rate on the town’s bill.
Community Development Director James Shockey explained the cost-savings to the town would be around 50%, or $300 per month, once the town starts paying the reduced rate, which is expected to be around $320 a month.
“The rate we pay now, we continue to pay for the next six years and that essentially pays off the cost of the street lights if we were to install them,” he said.
Town council felt the partnership was not only cost-effective but will also help Winter Park meet its goal of becoming a dark sky community.
“Under our healthy and thriving environment strategy, it states the town should move toward becoming a dark sky community and, obviously, having the latest and most efficient lighting in town will further that,” Shockey said.
Both Fraser and Grand Lake have previously been a part of Mountain Parks’ Electric’s street light replacement program.