City Of Pittsburgh To Begin Work On Becoming Dark-Sky Compliant In The Spring

By John P. Wise/KDKA-TV

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- Several months after Mayor Bill Peduto announced Pittsburgh would become dark-sky compliant, we now have an idea when the city will start taking its first steps toward that goal.

Peduto's office confirmed to KDKA-TV on Wednesday that the first LED light installations will take place in the spring.

The mayor announced back in August that Pittsburgh would become a dark-sky city, meaning it will switch to lower-wattage LED lighting in city parks and facilities and on bridges and roadways.

"Over-lighting and light pollution can negatively impact the mental and physical health of nearby neighbors, visibility for motorists, cyclists and pedestrians as well as habitats for plants, animals and birds," the City wrote in a statement on its website when Peduto first announced the ordinance.

"Our park spaces and City facilities should serve as the model for others to follow," Peduto said at the time.

The City of Pittsburgh has budgeted $16 million to swap in the new lights, which it says will save $1 million in energy costs, according to an article Bloomberg.com.

The ambitious plan to switch out as many as 40,000 light fixtures could take as long as two years to complete.