The Fayetteville Public Works Commission (PWC) based in North Carolina, U.S. has finished 85% of its streetlight upgrade from sodium-vapor lights to brighter energy-saving LED bulbs, reported Fayobserver.

The new LED streetlights are aimed to help the city achieve strategic goals including crime reduction and beautification, said city Mayor Nat Robertson.

"And we hope you consider the implementation and conversion of these lights at your earliest convenience, when practical," Robertson said.

David Munn, a Duke Energy representative said he needed a letter from city authorities to confirm its interest in converting 600 streetlights that will be billed to the city. The city will be billed a one-time charge of about US $25,000.

Lumbee River Electric Membership rolled out a four-year plan to replace 23,000 traditional streetlights with LEDs that customers are demanding. About 2,354 Lumbee River streetlights will be within the city, mostly in residential areas.

Lumbee River officials noted about 11% of their lights inside Fayetteville were converted.

Another provider South River Electric Membership said it will start a multi-year plan to replace its lights. Most of the system is rural and does not have a lot of residential streetlights, said the provider.

Most of the traditional streetlights are high-pressure sodium vapor lights that have a yellowish glow with dark spots between the poles. The LEDs in contrast are brighter, whiter, and consume less power and last three times as long.

A pilot project was kicked off by the city-owned PWC in 2013 for shifting to LED streetlights, which started a five-year conversion in 2014. In certain cases, the PWC added streetlights in neighborhoods that lacked adequate number of light poles. The city also issued an edict three years ago seeking to expand streetlights in new developments and encourage utility companies to use LED bulbs.

The PWC aims to complete the streetlight conversion by 2017, but it will require another two years before it can convert other lights, such as backyard lights and those on private property. An estimated 30,000 streetlights will be converted to LED lights.

"The response from the citizens has been extremely positive for the conversion," said David Trego, the PWC general manager.