Valparaiso reaping big savings from eco-friendly LED bulbs

Switching to LED lights for its streetlights and traffic signals has been a good investment for Valparaiso. The change in the US town is expected to pay for itself in about four years. After that, the city will continue to save — even after buying a bucket truck and hiring a technician at $50 an hour to maintain the lights, said Don McGinley, director of the city's Project and Facility Management Office. Over the past nine months, McGinley's office has monitored the savings realized by replacing the "cobra-head"-style streetlights with decorative light-emitting diode bulbs, and using LED bulbs in traffic signals.