Ohio Edison installing new LED streetlights in Akron

Ohio Edison is installing 252 new LED streetlights in the South Exchange Street Corridor neighborhood near the University of Akron.

The project – done in partnership with the City of Akron and the University of Akron — will improve visibility for motorists and pedestrians in the area. The project is expected to be finished by the end of May.

“We’re pleased to see the first new LED streetlights being installed here today, and we appreciate the city and Ohio Edison, including this neighborhood where so many UA students reside, as part of the initiative,” University of Akron President Gary Miller said. “This project, which will create a more appealing and secure environment for all residents, is the kind of win-win collaboration that the University is eager to engage in and support.”

The new LED streetlights are more efficient, have a longer service life, and shine brighter, including motion sensors and cameras.

“Communities across the FirstEnergy service areas in Ohio and elsewhere have noticed substantial improvements in visibility and security where LED streetlighting has been installed,” Ohio Edison President Edward Shuttleworth said. “We are pleased to be able to work with the City of Akron and The University of Akron to bring these improvements to the South Exchange Street Corridor.”

In addition to this project, 10 other Akron neighborhoods will receive LED streetlights in the coming years.

“The South Exchange Street Corridor neighborhood remains the lifeblood of the University of Akron’s off-campus community,” Akron Mayor Daniel Horrigan said. “This neighborhood serves as a hub for student activities, with shops and restaurants that draw the neighborhood together. Where the lights are brighter, residents feel safer, and we’re pleased today to start making this a brighter, more inviting space for our students to live, work, shop, and learn.”

Ohio Edison, which is owned by FirstEnergy, serves more than one million customers across 34 Ohio counties.