Road Lighting

Geomtric Highway
Marking - Signs
 VISIBILITY

Symbolic hatched markings; the driver needs to

have learned that these indicate an
area which is not available to traffic

Guidance Centre lines, edge lines and lane lines

help drivers to maintain their lateral
position on the road
Horizontal curve
Horizontal curve
Horizontal curve
Night time distance
Night time distance
Night time distance
Night time distance
 Studies have shown a reduction in nighttime fatal crashes
of up to 60% with the use of roadway lighting

Railroad Grade Crossings

Design for Older Drivers

fixed lighting installations are recommended as
follows:
1. Where the potential for wrong-way movements is
indicated through crash experience or engineering
judgment.
2. Where twilight or nighttime pedestrian volumes are
high.
3. Where shifting lane alignment, turn-only lane
assignment, or a pavement-width transition forces a
path-following adjustment at or near the
intersection
Elder drivers
Cross walk
Railway crossing
• Low train speeds.
• Blockage of crossings for long periods at night.
• Crash history indicating that motorists often fail to
detect trains or traffic control devices at night.
• Horizontal and/or vertical alignment of highway
approach such that vehicle headlight beam does
not fall on the train until the vehicle has passed the
safe stopping distance.
• Long dark trains, such as unit coal trains.
• Restricted sight or stopping distance in rural areas.
• Humped crossings where oncoming vehicle
headlights are visible under trains.
• Low ambient light levels.
• A highly reliable source of power.

Round about
The retina contains two types of photoreceptors,
rods and cones.

Rods,
which are most numerous in the retina, are more
sensitive and function at a lower light level than the
cones. Rods are also not sensitive to color.

Cones
sensitive to color and are divided into red (64 percent),
green (32 percent), and blue (2 percent) cones.
Fundamentals of Visibility
• pole heights, types, and luminaire wattages,
• consider the land use (residential, urban, downtown, commercial,
industrial, etc.) and
• the road width.
• be limited by the reach of service vehicles used to maintain the lights.
• Factors such as pole spacing (one-sided, median, opposite, or
staggered), luminaire photometrics, wattage, road geometrics,
power line conflicts, lighting levels and uniformity, aesthetics, and
obtrusive lighting issues are all appropriate considerations in defining
optimal mounting height.
scenarios where reducing lighting levels
in off-peak periods is not recommended
• Signalized Intersections - Signalized intersections typically include pedestrian crossings.
Pedestrian conflicts with vehicles are very likely at signalized intersections even during
low-pedestrian conflict periods.
• Mid-Block Crosswalks - The same rationale used for signalized intersections applies.
• Roundabouts - Due to the geometry in roundabouts and the effectiveness of fixed
headlights within the roundabout circle, dimming should not be applied to these facilities.
• Rail Crossings - Rail crossing lighting is provided for detection of the trains and is not
related to pedestrian conflict levels, therefore reducing lighting during off-peak periods is
not recommended.
Clear zone is defined in the Roadside Design
Guide 2011 as the total roadside border area,
starting at the edge of the traveled way,
available for safe use by errant vehicles.
Determining the clear zone is a function of
design speed, traffic volumes, the presence
of fill and cut slopes, the steepness of the
slopes and the horizontal curvature of the
road. Clear zone is defined in the Roadside
Design Guide 2011 as the total roadside
border area, starting at the edge of the
traveled way, available for safe use by errant
vehicles. Determining the clear zone is a
function of design speed, traffic volumes, the
presence of fill and cut slopes, the steepness
of the slopes and the horizontal curvature of
the road.
Pole - breakway device
Roadway Marking and Guidance
Impact of Vehicle Headlamps
Temporary roadway lighting
• Where lighting exists but has to be removed for construction,
and permanent lighting is not operational.
• The roadway does not meet geometric design standards for an
extended period (more than a few weeks).
• Hazards are present during hours of darkness.
• Medium to high pedestrian activity occurs during hours of
darkness.
• Devices such as pylons, delineators, barricades and barrels
don’t provide sufficient guidance.