The Cape Girardeau public works department is working to save money and energy by installing new light bulbs on several traffic lights in the city.

The department will continue to change traffic bulbs for about a month, public works assistant director Tim Gramling said.

Workers have been changing bulbs on three intersections of Broadway for about a week, replacing incandescent lights with energy-saving, light-emmitting diode (LED) bulbs, which will save the city about $13,000 per year, Gramling said.

The city originally applied for an $83,000 grant from the Department of Natural Resources, which helps fund projects that conserve energy. However, the city got a bargain on the bulbs and will only spend roughly $40,000, Gramling said. The money saved by the bulbs will go toward paying the loan to the DNR. Once the loan is paid, the city will pocket the savings.

The new bulbs are designed to last about 15 years and are guaranteed for five. Gramling said the current bulbs have to be replaced about once per year so the city will save man hours with the new bulbs as well.

The new bulbs are brighter, Gramling said. In all, there will be 591 new bulbs at 13 different intersections.