The Town of Chapel Hill and Duke Energy Carolinas have initiated a 12-month test program to evaluate the use of Light-Emitting Diodes (LED) for use in outdoor street lighting.

Duke Energy crews spent Wednesday morning on the 100 block of Franklin Street replacing the old lights with the LED's.

Chapel Hill Mayor Kevin Foy said the LED's are designed to use less energy and lower the town's carbon footprint. Foy said although the LED's are more expensive to purchase, it will save the town money down the line.

"They cost more but last a lot longer so instead of changing them every two years, we change them every ten years," said Foy.

Several town's use LED's for pedestrian level lights, but Chapel Hill is the first town in the state to use them as street lights.

"That's one thing we hope people will do is come downtown at night and look and see and tell us do they notice the difference, does it seem different," said Foy.

Foy said if the town decides the LED's work well, they will eventually be installed in other parts of the town as well.