Residents Unhappy With New LED Street Lights In Prospect-Lefferts Gardens
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Residents in a historic Brooklyn neighborhood aren't happy about the city's bright idea to change their street lights.
On Midwood Street in the historic district of Prospect-Lefferts Gardens, there is a glaring sign of the times shining brightly from old vintage lamp posts that line the streets -- brand new LED lights.
The new illumination has been met with mixed reaction from residents.
"It looks unearthly, like science fiction," one resident told CBS2's Tracee Carrasco.
"As long as the lights are on, I'm happy," another said.
A block away on Flatbush Avenue, the old street lights contrast with the bright new lights.
"The colors are not the rich amber that we did have. They're kind of cold and blue," a resident said.
The LED lights are part of a city-wide project by the Department of Transportation that came with a hefty $75 million price tag. It's set to be the largest LED retrofit in the country.
The city estimated that once complete, the lights will save more than $900,000 a year, and an additional $400,000 in yearly maintenance costs.
The city boasted that it's another step in reducing its carbon footprint by 30 percent by 2017.
Residents questioned if it's the best option for their quaint street.
"If there is a tremendous saving of energy that is a good thing, but I'm also not sure it has to be this ugly," Cherida Lally said.
The city has no plans to reconsider the LED lights, and said the conversion will continued as scheduled. It should be complete in Brooklyn by August.
