City to replace 1,100 street lights

For those who think Sonoma already has a certain glow about it – you ain’t seen nothing yet.

Because, by October, the City of Sonoma will have finished retrofitting all 1,100 street lights in town from high-pressure sodium to LED.

It’s been one of the major projects of the year, said City Manager Carol Giovanatto. “The department is looking forward to getting this project done.”

LEDs, or light-emitting diodes, consume less energy, and boast a longer lifespan, than traditional bulbs. The project, budgeted at $360,000, is designed to save approximately $74,000 annually on electrical bills while providing better visibility at night without a significant change in hue. The city received an interest-free loan for the project from PG&E for $250,000, to be paid over the course of 10 years.

Tanko Lighting, based in San Francisco, was awarded the contract with a bid of $330,000. During the course of installation, Tanko will provide electricians and lift trucks to replace street lights around town one at a time during daylight hours.

Tanko has previously completed LED replacement projects in Hayward, Napa and Vallejo. President Jason Tanko said the replacement work will be fast and discreet.

“The impact of our trucks going by in any one area is going to be no greater than the trash man,” he said. “We’re looking at two or three trucks who set up the cones, replace and test the lights, pick up the cones and move on. Most people won’t even know we were there.”

Tanko will remain the contractor until the replacement is complete. “Some cities are required to have milestones in their public works projects, and if they use different contractors for each purpose it tends to bog down the time line and increases costs,” he said. “For Sonoma, any questions they have at any point in the project goes straight to us. We handle the contractors, the rebates, repairs and logistics. We’ve consolidated the process under one roof.”

Tanko said they will have to work Saturday and Sunday mornings around Highway 12, where PG&E gas-line maintenance already impacts morning and night commutes.

Not only should the new lights improve visibility in darker environments, the lights themselves are more cost-efficient than their sodium counterparts, and traditional streetlights around the Plaza will retain their antique style due to the LED’s compatibility with existing fixtures.

“LED lights have a longer service life than the current high-pressure sodium,” said Dan Takasugi, director of public works and city engineer for Sonoma. “A sodium light lasts about four to five years. LEDs last 10-15.” In addition to longer service lives, LED lights use lower wattage bulbs over their sodium counterparts, saving electricity over time.

A tentative calendar in the city council staff report projects installation to begin Aug. 17, with a final report scheduled Oct. 30.

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Contact William Rohrs at william.rohrs@sonomanews.com.