LED Streetlight Replacement Project
UPDATE - March 2, 2021
NorthWestern Energy crews have replaced streetlight fixtures on 5th and 6th streets and will begin to install house-side shielding beginning today.
If you have questions, please contact NorthWestern Energy’s Steve Clawson at (406) 544-1056 or Stephen.Clawson@northwestern.com.
Background
In June 2020, NorthWestern Energy began work in Missoula to replace streetlight lamps in Streetlight Improvement Districts (SLIDs) with light emitting diode (LED) lamp heads. The streetlights currently in place use high-pressure sodium (HPS) bulbs, which are becoming more difficult for NorthWestern Energy to purchase, and they use about 50 percent more electricity than the LED bulbs that will replace them.
More information from NorthWestern Energy’s statewide LED replacement project can be found on the company’s website and on their project fact sheet.
Benefits
Benefits to Missoula citizens include:
- Better lighting on streets and sidewalks for improved vehicle and pedestrian safety,
- Lower energy costs for property owners in SLIDs,
- Less electricity used, and
- Better directed lighting. The new fixtures shine light downward to the street and sidewalk better than the old bulbs.
City Lighting Ordinance Compliance
The new LED streetlight fixtures are rated as "dark sky approved," which according to the International Dark Sky Association means they minimize glare while reducing light trespass and sky glow. The City asked NorthWestern Energy to conduct nighttime streetlight output measurements in two test areas (Stoddard St. and Fairview Ave.) to ensure the new light fixtures comply with the City’s lighting ordinance (MMC 8.64, Missoula Outdoor Lighting Ordinance). Light measurements taken by NorthWestern Energy in the test areas were duplicated by City staff and found to be in compliance with the lighting ordinance.
For updates on which neighborhoods are next for streetlight LED replacements, visit the City’s Weekly Road Report.
Please note: The City’s streetlight crew will also be out replacing old high-pressure sodium bulbs with LEDs in City-owned streetlights that are not in a streetlight improvement district.
Contact Information
If you have a problem with a new LED streetlight or have questions about the project, please contact NorthWestern Energy’s Steve Clawson at (406) 544-1056 or Stephen.Clawson@northwestern.com.
