Philly will replace every streetlight over the next two years, starting with high-crime neighborhoods
The project does not include the construction of new streetlights, just the modernization of existing ones. Crews will replace old, high-pressure sodium streetlights with longer-lasting, light-emitting diode lights. Crews also will install technology to allow for the lights to be monitored remotely, meaning that the city will not need to rely on residents to report outages.
Philly is getting better streetlights, free WiFi, and more. Officials say it’s part of budgeting for racial equity.“Modernizing our streetlights is not a new need,” she said. “It’s been something residents, especially those in working-class Black and brown neighborhoods, have fought for for decades.