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Chicago Selects Vendor for Major Smart Street Light Project

The Windy City will help pay for the $160 million upgrade through energy savings generated by the new fixtures.

Juliet is the senior web editor for StateTech and HealthTech magazines. In her six years as a journalist she has covered everything from aerospace to indie music reviews — but she is unfailingly partial to covering technology.

The city of Chicago has selected a vendor team to replace 270,000 of the city’s light fixtures — 85 percent of its public lights — with smart lighting systems. The four-year project will cost the city up to a$160 million. Installs will begin during the summer in the south and west side communities, according to a press release.

“This project is a win-win – it will deliver one of the largest lighting modernization programs in the country while addressing one of the top reasons residents call 311,” Mayor Emanuel said in the press release. “Under this proposed project we will be delivering modern, reliable and high-quality lighting that will improve quality of life in every Chicago neighborhood.”

The new smart LED lights promise to improve street lighting as well as deliver energy efficiencies, generating cost savings the city will use to pay for the fixture upgrades.