Installation of Energy Efficient Traffic and Pedestrian Signals Begins Today in Peekskill Through Power Authority Program

Contact
Connie Cullen
1-914-390-8196
connie.cullen@nypa.gov

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

PEEKSKILL—Beginning today over 600 energy-efficient traffic and pedestrian count-down signals will be installed here with assistance from the New York Power Authority (NYPA). The first installation will be at the intersection of Main and Nelson Streets. This $96,000 project is expected to be completed by the end of March. These installations are the first in Westchester County to be managed by NYPA along with work in the City of New Rochelle scheduled to begin later in February.

“Improving the visibility of many of our traffic and cross walk signals is a bright idea that will save Peekskill taxpayers money through lower energy and maintenance costs plus keep the air cleaner by reducing energy use,” said John G. Testa, mayor, City of Peekskill. “We are pleased to work with Governor George E. Pataki and the New York Power Authority to bring this improvement to our city which represents another effort by the City to revitalize the downtown.”

“Mayor Testa and his fellow leaders in Peekskill should be commended for their vision in participating in Governor Pataki’s initiative encouraging local governments to follow his mandate to state agencies to reduce their energy use by 35% by 2010,” said Eugene W. Zeltmann, president and chief executive officer, NYPA. “With cities like Peekskill, and other towns and villages throughout the state working with NYPA to be more energy-savvy, we can reduce energy use, save taxpayer dollars and lessen dependence on foreign oil.”

Using the existing signal light housings, the new lighting technology consists of green, red, yellow and white precision-lensed light emitting diode (LED) modules to replace the current incandescent bulbs that use colored filters or lens. The LED signals have a longer operating life and lower maintenance cost, consume about 90% less energy and use no filters or lens.

NYPA has been involved in a wide variety of LED signal projects including work with the Metropolitan Transit Authority and the New York City Rail Transit, and also installing energy efficient traffic signals in various parts of New York City.

Project management is conducted by NYPA staff, while the material and labor contracts were awarded by NYPA through competitive bid for timely and cost-effective installation. NYPA provides full turn-key services and finances the total cost of these LED traffic signal projects at very low interest rates. Municipalities have a payback period of usually less than five years depending on the quantity and signal types to be installed.

The City of Peekskill, its Housing Authority and the Peekskill School District are government customers of the Power Authority and receive some of the lowest cost electricity in the state for operations. Since the early 1990s, NYPA has invested over $660,000 in energy efficiency improvements at several Peekskill facilities including the courthouse and schools. These initiatives annually save taxpayers over $115,000 in municipal electric costs, reduce energy use by over 350 kilowatts per year and eliminate 730 tons of greenhouse gases each year contributing to cleaner air.

NYPA is the nation’s largest state-owned electric utility. The Power Authority owns and operates 17 generating facilities across New York. NYPA also owns and operates over 1,400 circuit miles of transmission lines in various parts of the state. NYPA is a national leader in advancing energy efficiency, clean energy technologies and electric vehicles.