Dixon Auditioning New LED Bulbs For Streetlights

DIXON (CBS13) — City planners want Dixon residents to share their thoughts and opinions of which LED streetlights they like best.

At first glance, most people wouldn't notice the streetlights until they saw the sign on the pole asking passersby for their opinion.

It's an open-air experiment on one of Dixon's main thoroughfares.

The city is holding an electric beauty pageant of sorts, placing a variety of brand new, energy efficient LED bulbs on these poles and asking people to vote on which one they like the best.

"We're excited about it," said public works director Joe Leach. "We're excited about getting people's input, especially people in the neighborhood it's adjacent to."

Some are brighter, some are whiter. Each of the 12 lights has a number and Dixon is asking people to cast their votes on the city's website. Eventually all 1,300 city streetlights will be replaced with the winner.

Jennifer Reeder's home backs up to light No. 12.

"I like that it's not so bright, so it doesn't come in our window while we're sleeping," she said.

The city hopes the bright idea will eventually save close to $2 million in reduced electrical costs over the course of the bulbs' 25-year lifespan. The city says the lights consume 50 percent less energy than the previous ones.

Dixon's hoping for glowing reviews once this experiment goes citywide.

"We might go take a walk or a drive down the street to see how all of them are different and see which ones I like better," Reeder said.

It will cost about $500,000 to replace the lights. People can vote for their favorite until June 15.