The City of Monroe is taking a significant step toward improving safety and quality of life by upgrading aging high-pressure sodium (HPS) lights with modern, energy-efficient LED lighting. 

The Energy Services Department is in the process of replacing 173 HPS streetlights with LEDs in the Winchester neighborhood as part of the Winchester Revitalization Project. Crews will be working through the holidays to replace all the streetlights around the Winchester Community Center and through Winchester Avenue. 

“We are so excited for this streetlight upgrade effort that’s long overdue for the Winchester community,” said Council Member Surluta Anthony. “The Winchester Revitalization Project is alive and well, and this piece of the project is part of our long-term plan to make the community safer, increase walkability, and achieve sustainable quality of life improvements for our residents.” 

The new LED lights are far superior to the HPS lights in lifespan, energy efficiency, light quality, maintenance, and cost: 

• LEDs typically last 25,000 hours longer than HPS 
• LEDs use less energy to produce the same amount of light as HPS
• LEDs provide a more natural white light rather than the orange/yellow HPS
• LEDs require less frequent replacements and maintenance compared to HPS
• LEDs cost more than HPS on the initial purchase, but the long-term savings often outweighs the initial expense 

“A lot of folks have waited a long time for this upgrade, and we know they’re going to be thrilled with the end result,” said Council Member Julie Thompson. “The Winchester Revitalization Project is just the beginning of a purposeful, coordinated effort to lift up our essential neighborhoods, and I’m honored to be part of it.” 

Once all the streetlights are replaced in the Winchester community, the City will evaluate similar needs in other neighborhoods and prioritize replacements based on recommendations and input from public safety officials and other stakeholders. 

The City of Monroe encourages residents to report a streetlight outage by visiting our interactive streetlight outage map on monroenc.org. 

WINCHESTER REVITALIZATION 

The Winchester Revitalization Committee was formed by Mayoral proclamation on April 9, 2024 with the purpose of making recommendations for redeveloping the Winchester Community in keeping with its rich history and cultural heritage. 

The committee is composed of Council Member Surluta Anthony (Chair), Council Member Julie Thompson, Mayor Robert Burns, Celestine Alsbrooks, Millie Atwater, Eric Hall, Sr., and Ellen McGinnis. 

Visit monroenc.org to learn more about the committee and see the latest meeting schedule.