The North Carolina Department of Transportation is continuing work on a project to upgrade more than 10,000 highway light fixtures across the state, including about 3,300 in the Charlotte area.
NC DOT spokeswoman Jen Thompson says contractors are replacing older lights currently used on interstates and some other highways.
“These are going to be switched out to more efficient LED lights that will end up saving us a lot of money over the life of the contract,” says Thompson. “This is a 15-year agreement. Hopefully, we will look at saving around $56 million in maintenance and operation costs”
Thompson says crews have begun replacing the lights on I-40 in the Hickory area, and on a section of I-85 near Freedom Drive in west Charlotte. She couldn’t say just when the new LED lights will be installed at other locations, including a section of I-77 near uptown where many of the older lights are burned out. But the DOT expects the replacement project in the Charlotte to be completed in the spring.
The NCDOT is also replacing 16,613 lights in its facilities such as maintenance buildings, visitors’ centers, rest areas, and weigh stations.
