Essonne: Longpont-sur-Orge tests “I Light My Street”

Residents of Downtown Longpont-sur-Orge (6,500 people) can now try out the new “J’allume ma rue” smartphone app. You need to download the app to trigger the flashing lights (by pressing a light button on their screen) as they pass by. This system will be gradually extended to the entire municipality. Longpont-sur-Orge was the first municipality in Ile-de-France to set up this organization.

Like many communities driven by environmental or financial reasons, Townhall decided in November 2020 to turn off public lights at night (11pm to 6am). The problem is, some residents abruptly stopped moving for fear of complete darkness. The “J’allume ma rue” application gives residents the opportunity to find light in their path while in complete darkness. “This app makes it possible to effectively fight the sense of insecurity. Today, residents are generally satisfied, except for those who certainly do not have a smartphone,” said Alain Lamore, mayor of Longbond.

Savings of 50,000 euros per year

The smartphone app allows users to geolocate; The system then sends an order to the electrical cabinet controlling the lamp poles. The lights will be on for a limited time by the community (6 minutes in Longbond). For LED streetlights, it is enough to add a small element to the electrical boxes. Gradual replacement of other street lights (for example sodium) by LEDs will allow the device to function as well as possible. The city pays ஆண்டு 2,000 an annual subscription to Photogroup, which manufactures and markets the new process.

The removal of the night lights will save the municipality an estimated யூ 50,000 a year, notes Alain Lamore, who said “electricity is the biggest energy cost for municipalities.” For a municipality like ours this is far from being ignored. It should be noted that the decision to use the application was born out of a participatory democratic effort; It was the manager of a “public lighting” workshop organized by the city who had the idea of ​​contacting the creator of the app.