Press Release | Office of the Mayor | Westland Streetlights to go Totally Green

For Immediate Release | Official Press Release

PRESS RELEASE

OFFICE OF THE MAYOR

36601 Ford Road | Westland, Michigan | 48185

Office 734.467.3200 | Fax 724.721.2310

WWW.CITYOFWESTLAND.COM

Westland Streetlights to go Totally Green

Westland, MI - Westland's Mission:Green team announces that On Tuesday, August 9, the City of Westland and DTE Energy will be hosting a public event to kick off their partnership on Westland's final phase of the city's conversion of mercury vapor streetlights to energy efficient LED. The event will begin at 11:00 a.m. and will take place at Wildwood Elementary, located at 500 N. Wildwood.

"DTE Energy is proud to partner with the City of Westland, in making such a significant infrastructure upgrade," commented Michael Chriss, Director of Regional Relations at DTE. "We look forward to providing safe and efficient lighting systems for our customers, and the community."

The initial phase of the streetlight conversion project began in March of 2015 and converted 166 street light fixtures to LED on Wayne Rd. between Glenwood and Parkgrove which resulted in an annual savings of $23,136. The city's investment in this phase of the project was $29,688.

The second phase of the project began in August of 2015 and converted 230 street light fixtures to LED on major roads throughout the city. The total cost to the city was $68,996 with an annual savings of $38,516.

The third and final phase of this Mercury Vapor conversion project will convert 2,466 street light fixtures to LED on neighborhood streets throughout the city. The total cost for this phase to the city is $435,173 with an annual savings of $260,364. After this phase is completed the City of Westland will no longer have any mercury vapor streetlights. The entirety of the project will be completed by September 1.

"As a city dedicated to responsible environmental practices and sustainability, Westland is proud to be able to improve upon the safety of motorists and pedestrians who use these thoroughfares with LED streetlights that use less energy yet provide for enhanced visibility;" commented Mayor William R. Wild. "Westland will see a return on this this total investment in a period of under 2 years."

For more information, contact Aubrey Berman, Administrative Secretary, at (734) 467-3200.

Westland, Michigan is the state's 10th largest municipality, with a population of over 84,000 people who exhibit a great deal of pride in their All-American City. Westland has a thriving business community along with beautiful residential areas. The citizens enjoy a wide array of amenities and a quality of life that is second to none.

In 2014, Westland was rated as one of 24/7 Wall Street's America's Best 50 Cities to Live, offering residents and visitors an ideal blend of single-family affordable homes, apartments and condominiums, great schools, and access to numerous outdoor activities. Public safety is delivered by full-service, professional law enforcement and firefighting personnel. Westland Police Department, whose motto is protect and serve, provides emergency dispatch services to four cities and over 100,000 residents; the Western Wayne Fire Association firefighters collaboratively serving the Cities of Wayne and Westland are licensed paramedics who responded to over 13,000 calls for service last year, about 85% being medical based. They never forget their mission of preserving life and property.

Westland is well-known as the premier destination for shopping and dining in Wayne County with hundreds if shops and restaurants anchored by the Westland Shopping Center, on of the country's original four regional malls.

Infinite opportunities are available in Westland for the recreation aficionado including, more that 40 parks and 1,500 acres of trails, a 9-hole golf course, hockey arena, athletic fields, playscapes, a Farmers and Artisans Market and more. One of Michigan's most environmentally friendly cities, Westland has a progressive curbside recycling program with one of the highest participation rates in the nation and the City is raising the bar for cultural experiences with the placement of public art throughout the City.

The City is served by two public school districts; Wayne-Westland Community Schools serving 12,000 youth was recently named one of the Best School in Michigan by WXYZ-TV and is the proud recipient of 14 Golden Apple and two Michigan Blue Ribbon Exemplary School Awards. Livonia Public Schools, educating nearly 15,000 students, is proud of their MEAP/MME scores that exceed state averages and the District has also earned Golden Apple and Michigan Blue Ribbon Exemplary School Awards.

Westland's philosophy is that government should embrace good business principles. Providing oversight over the City's operating budget of $60 million dollars, Westland is the only community in Wayne County with a 3-year balanced budget and an approximately 10 percent budget surplus.

The City provides competitive incentives for those who are interested in investing in Westland, making it one of the hottest investment markets in the region. Our Fast-Track to Business Team, which consists of key decision makers who work diligently on a development plan will "cut the red tape" and expedite the approval process for new business development.