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Contract savings from the city of Tigard‘s Burnham Street improvement project will allow the city to use Light Emitting Diodes to light its new green street project.

According to Kim McMillan, engineering manager for the city of Tigard, low construction bids received for the Burnham Street improvement project will allow the city to spend an extra $150 per light on LED street lights for the project. The city is partnering with Portland General Electric, which will study how well the LEDs perform as street lights.

“Portland General Electric is interested in looking at how these light perform,” McMillan said. “I have a Main Street green street project on the way, and we’re hoping to carry this feature on to that project.”

McMillan estimates that using LEDs on the project will save 35 percent more energy than standard street lights. Other aspects of the Burnham Street improvement project, which is the city’s first green street project, include stormwater treatment planters and new sidewalks. It is currently under construction by Kodiak Pacific Construction.