# Highway Lighting



## hkskyline (Sep 13, 2002)

Many large highways are not lit in rural areas. Experts say that keeps drivers on alert and vehicle lights are sufficient to drive safely during the night. Is that the case for your country's rural highways?

*Highway safety advocates push for U.S. 280 changes *
30 September 2006

HARPERSVILLE, Ala. (AP) - Highway deaths on U.S. 280 have given life to a safety drive led by a group called 280 Light of Life. 

The group plans a candlelight vigil Sunday at 8 p.m. at North Shelby Baptist Church on U.S. 280 to call attention to at least 12 victims of fatal traffic crashes on a stretch of the highway east of Alabama 119 to Harpersville. 

Organizer Angela Madison's daughter, Kayton, is among the victims. Kayton died in November 2002 in a wreck on Double Oak Mountain, about a mile from North Shelby Baptist. 

The candles will stand for hope that no more lives will be lost on the highway, she said. 

Madison and a group of neighbors, friends and co-workers at Wilsonville Elementary School formed the highway safety group. 

"We aren't opposed to anything out there that will make that highway safer. Lighting would be nice, because it's so dark when you top the mountain; and, of course, we want the traffic lights at (Shelby County) 41 and 43," Madison said. 

She said drivers also must take responsibility. 

"We can't blame all of 280's problems on the Department of Transportation," she said. "We are responsible for each other out there. I know everyone is busy, but you cannot replace a life." 

At Sunday's vigil, Madison will read a poem she wrote about the number of crosses along 280 depicting highway deaths. 

In part it reads, "Open your eyes and look around at the weathered stakes upon the ground."


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## ChrisZwolle (May 7, 2006)

Near interchanges, and complex situations, lighting is a good thing. You can see those situations better and earlier than without lighting. So here in NL, all interchanges with other Motorways are lighted. But not on ordinary stretches of motorway in rural areas. That is also not necessary, it gives too much lighting pollution, and i must say; driving without lighting is better, on long straight roads. 

In Belgium, all motorways are lit, because they have an overcapacity in their nuclear power stations.


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## DrJoe (Sep 12, 2002)

When you say "rural highway" are you talking about a dual-carriage or just a 2 lane?


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## hkskyline (Sep 13, 2002)

DrJoe said:


> When you say "rural highway" are you talking about a dual-carriage or just a 2 lane?


It could be a 4-lane highway whereby both directions are separated by a median.


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## mrtfreak (Jul 23, 2005)

Malaysia's North-South Highway has stretches in between states and towns/interchanges that are not lit. The same goes for the Central North-South Link Expressway (ELITE to KL International Airport) there.


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## superchan7 (Jan 21, 2004)

Probably due to Hong Kong's small size, every single road and highway is brightly lit.

Hypothetically speaking, you don't even need your headlights. Of course, obeying the law and having redundant safety precautions means you should always use your lights at night.


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## Calvin W (Nov 5, 2005)

It would be impossible to light all rural 2 and 4 lane highways in Saskatchewan. There is something like 60 000 km of paved roads in this province. At all major intersections the highway is lighted. Good enough for us.The rest would be a waste of money!


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## invincible (Sep 13, 2002)

The other problem with these highways is that there isn't necessarily a power source nearby for lights. I don't think it's necessary at all to have rural highways lit. At intersections, yes but elsewhere your headlights should be enough.


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## muc (Sep 29, 2005)

Lighting all large Highways also in rural regions would be a waste of energy in monstrous proportions.

Ok it would probably improve safety a bit. But there are other constuctive measures you can take to improve safety that would cost much less and will be more effective. Like making sure the surface of the roads is in good condition, with good markings. Improving the line of sight in critical areas. Seperate the directions in dangerous curves. Etc...


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## Ted Ward (Apr 16, 2005)

Ive driven many miles on pitch black Australian roads - Those reflective 'cats eyes' are sufficient.


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## EricIsHim (Jun 16, 2003)

The main problem is dirver driving too fast in good or bad condition.
If you drive near the speed limit, your headlight is enough to guide you thru the road. However, when people are driving too fast, vehicle headlight won't give you enough sight distance in the dark to response.

In Connecticut, Rt15 is a four lanes expressway, posted speed limit 55mph For the most part, there is no street light except at major interchanges. At night, it is pitch black on the road. But, a lot of drivers go 80-90 mph. The road isn't designed for such high speed as it was built decades and decades ago and there is limitations in improving an old road.


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## hkskyline (Sep 13, 2002)

Cat eyes are fairly rare in North America. However, they're limited to lane delineation, and does little help in improving the range of sight.


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## Calvin W (Nov 5, 2005)

If you really want to make highways safe at night there is a easy solution. Ban night driving. Problem Solved. If not accidents will happen no matter how much lighting there is.


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## ChrisZwolle (May 7, 2006)

So the highways get's more overcrowded at daylight? And what about trucktraffic and distribution? They have to drive at night to supply distribution centers and shops.


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## cjav (Jun 24, 2006)

all the US needs is a actual drivers license.. not some paper that comes with the cornflakes.. improved driving skills will do alot more..


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## hkskyline (Sep 13, 2002)

Do some jurisdictions have restrictions on truck travel during the day time? I'd rather have the huge trucks confined to the night time and not get in the way of civilian rush hour.


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## DrJoe (Sep 12, 2002)

^ No way that would work. In a place like the GTA trucks mean business, if they aren't allowed on the road business would stop.


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## salvius (Aug 4, 2004)

hkskyline said:


> Do some jurisdictions have restrictions on truck travel during the day time? I'd rather have the huge trucks confined to the night time and not get in the way of civilian rush hour.


Oh, I wish!


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## ChrisZwolle (May 7, 2006)

Roads are ment for transportation. How do you buy your food, clothes, electronics, camera for highrise-photography etc, without trucks? Distribution works already 24/7.


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## FallenGuard (Nov 2, 2006)

In Luxembourg, all major Highways are lit by a dull, yellowish Light. When I compare that with non-lit Highways elsewhere, I can say that this is a good solution. 
Especially after a long drive, the soft illumination is very relaxing to the eyes, because you don't have to constantly stare in the bright spot of your car lights anymore. 
So in conclusion, Vision and concentration are much better on illuminated Highways, which has of course an impact on safety.

(IMHO like everything, of course)
FG


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## Skybean (Jun 16, 2004)

Cat eyes should be mandatory everywhere. They are really helpful.

In Toronto, roads are extremely well lit - to an extent that it's almost overdone. You have enough light to read a newspaper.


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## hkskyline (Sep 13, 2002)

I find Toronto's residential side streets to be very poorly lit. It's quite dark down there. I doubt it is economically feasible or necessary to light these quiet streets too brightly.


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## EricIsHim (Jun 16, 2003)

hkskyline said:


> I find Toronto's residential side streets to be very poorly lit. It's quite dark down there. I doubt it is economically feasible or necessary to light these quiet streets too brightly.


Neighbourhood might not want to b e too bright also.
Too bright will affect the indoor life.


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## EricIsHim (Jun 16, 2003)

Skybean said:


> Cat eyes should be mandatory everywhere. They are really helpful.
> 
> In Toronto, roads are extremely well lit - to an extent that it's almost overdone. You have enough light to read a newspaper.


Cat eyes are quite expensive, it will signicficantly increase the cost of project.
Second, many people do steal them from the road and sell for money.


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## invincible (Sep 13, 2002)

Haven't heard of cat's eyes being stolen and sold before. Over here, they're found on basically all urban roads, with reflectors on posts for rural roads instead.

We get rumble strips on the sides of highways in the country as well.


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## sbarn (Mar 19, 2004)

'Cat eyes' or 'Bot Dots' are used all over California:










Most states don't use them though... other than California, Washington, Oregon and Hawaii.


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## ChrisZwolle (May 7, 2006)

Yeah, but here, they are used instead of markings. In Europe, we use reflecting markings, only very old road markings neets cat's eyes, because they don't reflect.


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## Penhorn (Mar 28, 2006)

Lately in Halifax they've been splurging a bit on extra streetlights in new interchanges:









(New highway 118 improvementsoutside of Dartmouth)


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## DrJoe (Sep 12, 2002)

^ Well Halifax is a regional power, it probably makes sense. 

There are a few spots around Toronto that probably have overkill










They have to build this lower light fixtures around this area because of proximity to the airport.


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## LtBk (Jul 27, 2004)

NVM


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## KIWIKAAS (May 13, 2003)

Chris1491 said:


> Yeah, but here, they are used instead of markings. In Europe, we use reflecting markings, only very old road markings neets cat's eyes, because they don't reflect.


You dont use cats eyes in the Netherlands and Northern Europe (and the northern US) because they interfere with snowplows when it snows. In southern Europe cats eyes are used too.
Btw. the ''reflective'' paint (used in the Netherlands) aint that reflective and the Netherlands has never used cats eyes on a large scale (even on old roads).


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## invincible (Sep 13, 2002)

Freeways probably need the least lighting out of any sort of road (indeed, a few freeways here have no lights at all) because they lack tight curves and intersections.


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## Encore (Jul 22, 2005)

Here in Belgium just *every street* has lighting. It's incredible!!
Sometimes it's too much, almost every 20 meters!


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## jchernin (Jul 21, 2005)

hkskyline said:


> Cat eyes are fairly rare in North America.


i was gonna say, r u kidding? california has them EVERYWHERE. maybe the exception is snow areas, but even then they often just 'bury' them into the asphalt.



sbarn said:


> 'Cat eyes' or 'Bot Dots' are used all over California:
> 
> Most states don't use them though... other than California, Washington, Oregon and Hawaii.


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## KIWIKAAS (May 13, 2003)

sbarn said:


> 'Cat eyes' or 'Bot Dots' are used all over California:
> 
> Most states don't use them though... other than California, Washington, Oregon and Hawaii.


What about Arizona, Nevada, Texas, New Mexico


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## ChrisZwolle (May 7, 2006)

Cats Eyes can be destroyes when a snow plow is clearing the road. That's the reason why they aren't used in the Northern States.


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## Rebasepoiss (Jan 6, 2007)

^^ If you mean reflective pieces between lanes as cats eyes, then we use them in Estonia too. The problem with these is that they get dirty very easily so they're seen well only on rather new roads.


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## TheCat (Apr 21, 2006)

In Israel many 2-lane roads have cat-eyes, especially on the two outer edges of the road (the middle doesn't always have them). With Israel's many mountainous winding roads these are very useful for safety. In general, Israel has very good markings on the edges of the road. If cat-eyes are not present, there is always at least a yellow line at the outer edge (unlike in North America, in Israel the yellow line delineates the outer edge of the road).

In Ontario, from my limited experience, 2-lane roads have cat-eyes only on tight curves. For example, while driving on Highway 26 north of Toronto, I encountered them whenever there was a curve (they had an interesting bluish glow to them, as opposed to the standard reflection), but otherwise they do not exist.

I also don't like the fact that in many countries, including Canada, the outer edges of the road are often unmarked because of old age (i.e. from what I understand, a solid white line is always painted but it is rarely repainted on time when roads age). Highway 26 which I mentioned previously has great markings, but some other highways, like Highways 9 and 10, don't. As I already stated before, in my opinion the outer edges are much more important than centre markings for night driving, since as long as you can see the edge line and avoid crossing it, while keeping as close to it as possible from its left side, you should be fine.

But regarding cat-eyes, the snow plough argument is interesting, I never thought of it before. Perhaps this is the reason they aren't used as much in Canada (at least in Ontario), although I think it's mostly a cost issue.


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## KIWIKAAS (May 13, 2003)

TheCat said:


> But regarding cat-eyes, the snow plough argument is interesting, I never thought of it before. Perhaps this is the reason they aren't used as much in Canada (at least in Ontario), although I think it's mostly a cost issue.


I think it has more to do with snow ploughs than cost.

Cats eyes are unbeatable for night visability


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## Jeroen669 (Nov 29, 2006)

DrJoe said:


>


This kind of lightning really destroys the landscape... Why so many lampposts? And why are they so insane high?


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## sonysnob (Dec 12, 2004)

^ This offers one of the neatest driving experiences I have ever done at night. If you enter this part of the 401 from the 403 Mississagua, coming from the high level ramp, all you can see is the stream of highway lighting -- its actually amazing. Before highmast became popular around 1990, all of the 401 through Toronto was lit with this type of lighting.


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## Rebasepoiss (Jan 6, 2007)

^^ Low masts sure do create visual pollution, but high masts create more light pollution. So which is a better solution?


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## Jeroen669 (Nov 29, 2006)

How about do you guys think about 'lijnverlichting'? Unfortunately I don't know the english translation, but this is how it looks like:










And this is what it looks like during night:










Not my pictures, btw.


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## OriK (May 1, 2007)

In Spain we have "reflective pieces" in both sides of almost all roadways, in motorways are also very used in intersections, but I think that I haven't seen there as lane delimiters, instead that, we have reflective painting and when one of your car's wheel is over the last right/left line, it produces an scandalous sound.

And here the rural highways are only lit in intersections.

See u!


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## sonysnob (Dec 12, 2004)

^ Thats pretty funky lighting. I wouldn't mind seeing that in North America.

This is a common desing in several US states.


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## storms991 (Mar 28, 2006)

Jeroen669 said:


> This kind of lightning really destroys the landscape... Why so many lampposts? And why are they so insane high?


Why jeopardize the safety of passengers in exchange for aesthetics? The area is ugly in the first place, there really isn't a landscape to destroy; the only "landscape" I can see is the immense concrete jungle, which really isn't beautiful anyway.
The lamps are so high because the light will be able to light up a larger area.


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## x-type (Aug 19, 2005)

^^ google a little bit about light pollution 
birds are flying over Manhattan, too


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## cpm_seattle (Jul 25, 2007)

*Line 'em up!*

Whatever anybody does anywhere... at least plum the posts and align them! In Washington State, the DOT is notorious for "aesthetically poor" (in my opinion) lighting design. In-and-out. Up-and-down. Ugly. But there are some nice exceptions... like I-5 between Fort Lewis and The Tacoma Mall. I took this shot from the South Tacoma Way Bridge/Overpass (just south of Hwy 512) in February...


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## Jeroen669 (Nov 29, 2006)

storms991 said:


> Why jeopardize the safety of passengers in exchange for aesthetics? The area is ugly in the first place, there really isn't a landscape to destroy; the only "landscape" I can see is the immense concrete jungle, which really isn't beautiful anyway.
> The lamps are so high because the light will be able to light up a larger area.


The necessary evil itself (the highway) can be put much nicer in the landscape. And indeed, american interstates are not well known for that...


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## Glodenox (Mar 26, 2007)

As mentioned before, almost all Belgian highways are illuminated. Not just a stroke, but the whole length. At around midnight (or even 11 pm?) though, only the intersections get illuminated. Most regional roads stay illuminated the whole night however. The more recent highways often aren't illuminated either.

If you wish to see this yourself, be sure to check out ChrisZwolle's picture thread. Almost all images of Belgium contain at least one lamppost 

The Belgian Roadway system is said to be the only visible man-made structure visible with the naked eye from the moon at night due to the lightning.

Greetings,
Glodenox


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## LordMandeep (Apr 10, 2006)

those 150 feet tall super lights are becoming popular in Canada.

There really tall and they can be seen from quite a distance.


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## Rail Claimore (Sep 11, 2002)

DrJoe said:


> ^ No way that would work. In a place like the GTA trucks mean business, if they aren't allowed on the road business would stop.


It works here in Chicago. Drive along any expressway or tollway at 3AM and you'll seem more trucks than you will at 3PM. This is especially true on the Tri-state Tollway. It's the only way our interstates can function when they're typically only 3 lanes each direction.


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## LordMandeep (Apr 10, 2006)

Wierd.... 


Both cities are major fright and distribution points.


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## Jardoga (Feb 9, 2008)

typical Perth freeway lighting


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## Ingenioren (Jan 18, 2008)

In southern Belgium, some motorways are dark as well. But in Norway all motorways have lampposts (only country in the world?), and all heavy traficated 2 lane roads... Personally i think lampposts are beautiful and smart! Keep us from running into crossing mooses, wich is are very common accidents up here...


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## zaphod (Dec 8, 2005)

beauty is in the eye of the beholder, I think sometimes freeways with lighting are cool looking


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## hkskyline (Sep 13, 2002)

I've read some studies that noted unlit highways are actually safer because drivers need to pay more attention on the road.


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## Ingenioren (Jan 18, 2008)

What about when you drive 100 km/h and a moose is in the middle of the road?=P


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## RawLee (Jul 9, 2007)

This is how we lit the roads outside city limits:


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## hkskyline (Sep 13, 2002)

Ingenioren said:


> What about when you drive 100 km/h and a moose is in the middle of the road?=P


Well, a loose moose will still do considerable damage to a car if it decides to dart out from nowhere onto a lit highway.


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## Bjarki (Sep 18, 2009)

On northern latitudes it makes very much sense to illuminate roads with high traffic volumes. In Iceland, the semi-motorway Reykjanesbraut is illuminated between Reykjavík and Keflavík International Airport and the towns around there. The heaviest traffic there is between 6 and 9 in the morning and during winters it's pitch black darkness at that hour. The road lighting also helps drivers to spot black ice on the road surface.


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## FM 2258 (Jan 24, 2004)

Lights in urban areas, none in rural areas are great. That's how it pretty much is in the United States.


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## wdw35 (Dec 12, 2008)

FM 2258 said:


> Lights in urban areas, none in rural areas are great.


Why "none in rural areas are great"?
Woudn't it be much nicer at least not to have to mess with the high beam all night? And not to have the occasional driver who doesn't know how to use high beam?


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## Rebasepoiss (Jan 6, 2007)

wdw35 said:


> When the motorway is lit you get much more information about that vehicle, including its relative speed and its type, so you can adjust your decision accordingly.
> On a well-lit motorway I can't imagine how you could have trouble "noticing" a vehicle in front of you (or even behind).


But what about the consumption of energy? Since there's not much traffic on the motorways during the night, most of the time the lights would shine for nobody...and on taxpayer's cost. 
And then there's light pollution...

I would go for one of the two solutions:
1) Place panels between 2 carriageways so you could use full lights. They've done this on the corners on new motorways in Poland, I believe.(and elsewhere also)
2) Replace the reflector posts with small but powerful and energy efficient LED lamps.


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## Gatis (Sep 22, 2003)

Even placing a wire net between carriageways helps to solve full lights problem. Wire net at angle does not let light go through - this is done in some places in Latvia. Cheap, easy to maintain.

Would be cool if there would be developed *weakly photoluminescent asphalt*. It would "charge" from daylight and then emit light in evening. By late night it would be dark already - but there is a lot less traffic by then.


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## Danielk2 (Jun 2, 2009)

I think that only small parts of motorways should be illuminated. e.g. at exit ramps. I think the deceleration lane/exit lane and of course also the acceleration lane should be illuminated. Sometimes the road markings can be quite hard to see.


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## snowman159 (May 16, 2008)

AFAIK street lights in Belgium are powered by surplus electricity from nuclear plants, so energy consumption doesn't really matter in this case and the additional burden on the tax payers is minimal. 
Under those specific circumstances, what's wrong with having nicely lit motorways? From a driver's point of view I think it's great.


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## ChrisZwolle (May 7, 2006)

snowman159 said:


> AFAIK street lights in Belgium are powered by surplus electricity from nuclear plants, so energy consumption doesn't really matter in this case and the additional burden on the tax payers is minimal.


I don't know, I think it doesn't matter that much energywise (the entire public street lights in the Netherlands account for 1.5% of the Dutch electricity consumption, and only 6 - 7% of that is freeway lighting), but generally, the lamps have to be replaced every two years, and are maintenance sensitive. Also, placing a light pole every 50 - 100 meters can't be cheap either.

Although, on the total budget, it's probably not more than a few million euros.


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## sotonsteve (Apr 6, 2012)

In the UK the authority that operates motorways in England, the Highways Agency, seems to be a bit two-faced with motorway lighting.

Firstly, the standards governing which sections of motorway require lighting changed a few years ago, because it was discovered that motorway lighting has less of an effect on accident rates than previously believed. The changes are also retrospective. There are now several sections of motorway where lighting switches off between midnight and 5am when traffic volumes are low. Some sections of motorway are also having their lighting permanently switched off or removed. On some motorways the lighting is just being disconnected but kept in place. In other places, where lighting requires replacement due to its structural condition, it is removed. The question that is asked is "If this were a new build motorway, would it justify lighting under current standards?" For lots of currently lit motorways the answer is no, and over the next decade I expect to see a few more sections of motorway lose their lighting through open countryside.

However, where lighting remains it is getting bigger, brighter and higher power all the time, so bright that you could probably perform open heart surgery under it. When motorway lighting was first introduced in the 1960s they used 140 Watt lamps at about 35-40m spacings. The orange low pressure sodium lighting that many people will remember in the 1980s and 1990s used 180 Watt lamps at about 35-40m spacings. The current specification appears to be for 600 Watt lamps at 50m spacings. So instead of a power consumption of 14.4kW per mile by 1980s standards, we now have a power consumption of 36kW per mile. Even where they do not opt for 600 Watt lamps, the general trend is for bigger, brighter and higher wattage than before.

It is almost the case in England that they are having to save money by switching off some motorway lighting in order to fund the wasteful, higher energy lighting that they want to retain. The two sides balance out, good energy savings contradicted by severe overkill.


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## Road_UK (Jun 20, 2011)

I don't really see the point in motorway lightning. In Germany I only know of two short sections (A7 Hamburg and A3 Frankfurt Airport) and the roads seems to be managing fine without lights. I prefer to drive in the dark anyway, these lights in Belgium are horrible.


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## bogdymol (Feb 4, 2010)

*A1 Arad bypass motorway* (12,2 km) is the first in Romania to be completely lightened.

http://goo.gl/maps/dO9D


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## bogdymol (Feb 4, 2010)




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## bogdymol (Feb 4, 2010)




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## bogdymol (Feb 4, 2010)




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