Fifty special streetlights equipped with sensors and cameras will be installed in Jacksonville this summer as part of a pilot program unveiled Thursday at City Hall.
Jacksonville is the second city in the world after San Diego to try the LED lights connected to software created by GE.
Now the city is talking with GE to determine the best locations for the LED street lamps. The lamps are a gift during the six-month pilot. Mayor Alvin Brown says, he’s hoping the technology will save the city money in the long run.
“These new smart LED lights are designed to improve energy savings, increase efficiency and drive future innovation,” Brown said. “We won’t just be innovating light. This system will provide an unprecedented access to real-time data to help drive efficiency in our operation.”
GE spokesman Jamie Irick says the lamps will come with a smartphone app drivers can use to know where parking spots are available.
They will also come with LightGrid technology allowing the city to see areas where light isn’t needed and turn them off.
And the camera feature can give first responders a ground-level visual of an emergency while they’re on their way.
After six months, the city would have to pay GE to continue using the software component. Irick declined to say what the cost would be, but said the lights should save the city so much money in electric bills that they’ll offset the cost of paying for GE’s software platform over 10 years.
Irick said, “The city of Jacksonville is taking this forward-thinking approach not only in adopting energy-saving LEDs but understanding the power of data that’s all over the world that we live in today.”
Jacksonville and JEA officials will evaluate the pilot data after six months to determine if continuing with the program is a smart investment.
