A new joint effort between the City of Baytown, the Texas Department of Transportation and lighting manufacturer BetaLED will look at the positives of adding LED street lighting to the city.

Last week, six conventional 400-watt high pressure sodium fixtures were installed on three light poles located on Highway 146 at the Garth Road overpass. The lights were retrofit with BetaLED’s THE EDGE luminaries, which provide better lighting performance, lower energy use and reduced maintenance than traditional lighting.

The cutting-edge LED lights, which are easier on the environment and brighter than traditional lights, are expected to save the city between 65 and 80 percent on energy and replacement costs.

This is the first in a series of testing that will be done throughout Baytown in the months ahead.

Although a handful of Texas cities are installing LED street lights on city streets, the new lights in Baytown are among the first installed on Texas highways. If successful, highway lighting may be added throughout the state.  

An estimated 50 percent of highway lights burn out within two years, and TxDOT records show an average cost of re-lamping traditional fixtures along interstate roadways of $130 to $150 per pole, with costs to the city considerably higher. LED lights have an average lifespan of 15 to 20 years, more than making up for their higher initial cost.