Davis Residents Will Get Chance To Weigh In On Brightness Of LED Streetlights

DAVIS (CBS13) — A bright idea in Davis has residents hoping for something a little dimmer.

Davis city leaders are asking residents for their opinion on the level of brightness they want after complaints came in .

"They're just too bright you know it just seems like it's daylight at night time," said resident Glenn Nedwin.

His wife first noticed the brighter streetlights that are just steps from their front door.

"I think it'd be better to have the other lights that aren't as bright, because we're trying to sleep at night, and just at nighttime don't want to have daylight," he said.

City leaders have halted the project and installed several streetlights with different levels of brightness. Now they are asking people to choose how bright they want their city at night.

"That light was always spilling into their bedrooms it's just a different type of light so it's more noticeable," said Mitch Sears with the Davis Public Works Department.

While the new lights may be brighter, Sears says they make more sense than the older bulbs.

"Our cost savings are going to be roughly $200,000 a year citywide," he said.

The UC Davis California Lighting and Technology center is helping with the project.

The surveys need to be filled out by Aug. 24.

The total cost of the project is $1.72 million, which the city says should be paid off within six years because of the energy savings. Also, the LED lights last 20 years, versus six years for the older lights.