A Santa Monica City Electrician replaces metal-halide lamp for LED street lamps at the Santa Monica Pier on Thursday, January 10, 2013. “Before people use to complain the lights were not bright enough, now they complain that the lights are to bright,” said a city electrician.

There are a number of benefits to using LED light fixtures in street lighting applications. When comparing LED to metal halide street lighting, there is typically a 50 percent energy reduction with comparable light levels. For example, a 250-watt metal halide fixture would typically be replaced by a 125 to 150 watt LED fixture. While the most efficient pulse-start metal halide lamps are rated for 25,000 hours, LEDs are rated for more than 100,000 hours of useful life. Another reason why LED lights are far superior is because they provide a far higher light output with a directional light source.