USA Banner
  U.S. flag
              An official website of the United States government Here's how you knowOfficial US Government Icon
              **Official websites use .gov**A **.gov** website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.
            Secure Site Icon
              **Secure .gov websites use HTTPS**
                  A **lock** ( A locked padlock ) or **https://** means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. 
 U.S. Department of Transportation Icon United States Department of Transportation
 Search DOT
            Search
                    About FHWAFHWA Organization
                Headquarters Offices
                Field Offices
                Strategic Plan
                Business Opportunities
                Staff Directories
                Careers
                Highway History
                Contact UsProgramsAcquisition Management
                Civil Rights
                Federal Lands Highway
                Infrastructure
                Innovative Program Delivery
                Operations
                Planning, Environment, and Realty
                Policy
                Research, Development, and Technology
                Safety
                Browse by TopicsResourcesCore Highway Topics
                Federal Aid Essentials
                Automation
                Complete Streets
                Laws and Regulations
                Policy & Guidance Center
                Section 508
                Publications and Statistics
                Professional Development
                National Highway Institute
                Resource Center
                Accessibility Resource Library
                FHWA Research LibraryNewsroomPress Releases
                Speeches & Testimony
                Photos
                Videos
                Media ContactsMenu FHWA Highway Safety Programs Home
                        Roadway Visibility Research Needs Assessment


            
            In This Section
        Other Safety Areas
                Road Diets
                Lighting and Visibility
                                Overview
                Sign Retroreflectivity
                Pavement Markings
                Roadway Lighting
                Focused Approach to Safety
                Motorcyclist Safety
                Older Road Users
                                Overview
                Crash Facts
                Engineering and Training
                Federal and State Programs
                Community Resources
                Articles
                Work Zone Safety
                Transportation Safety Planning (TSP)
                
                4. BEST PRACTICES
In a review of current practices, some states and agencies emerged as leaders in the application of visibility treatments. A summary of the state practices for lighting is shown in Appendix B.

In terms of lighting, many states have moved significantly forward with the application of new lighting technology. Many states have developed a specification for solid state luminaires, including Virginia DOT, Illinois DOT, and Alaska DOT. These states have been sharing their results, and some similarity is being found in their specifications. This is an important step in the implementation of the new technology because LED luminaires are significantly different in their applicability to the roadway than are the traditional solutions.

From a city perspective, some municipalities are implementing adaptive lighting systems. These include the City of Cambridge, Massachusetts, and the City of San Jose, California. In both of these cities, lighting is dimmed based on the time of day. This practice has been implemented as both a cost-saving method and as an effort to reduce the negative impacts of lighting on the environment and roadway users.

Another implementation of a lighting control system is the use of the system to accurately provide a lighting level on the roadway regardless of the wattage and the power usage of the luminaire. Hawaii is using the same luminaire in all applications and then dimming to the appropriate lighting level. This approach significantly reduces inventory and maintenance costs while continuing to provide the recommended lighting levels.

Some cities, like the City of Los Angeles, are using the data-carrying capabilities of the lighting network to provide a backbone for connected-vehicle and smart-city applications.

Based on the assessment of the agencies, the best practices are (in order of technical complexity):

Development of a specification solid state lighting specific to the roadway types and needs of the lighting network.
	Implementation of a control system where each luminaire is able to be managed from a central location.
	Implementation of lighting only when and where it is needed through crash analysis and updated warrants.
	Implementation of an adaptive lighting system based on the time of day.
	Implementation of an adaptive lighting system based on road conditions, user needs, and connected vehicles.While many agencies are working on some aspect of each of these approaches, no single agency has achieved the highest level of implementation.
      
  Book traversal links for 4. BEST PRACTICES
      ‹ 3. REVIEW OF FATAL CRASH DATA
                    Up
                    5. CURRENT GAPS IN PRACTICE AND RESEARCH ›
                
                Book:Roadway Visibility Research Needs Assessment
              1. INTRODUCTION
                2. CURRENT RESEARCH AND PRACTICES
                3. REVIEW OF FATAL CRASH DATA
                4. BEST PRACTICES
                5. CURRENT GAPS IN PRACTICE AND RESEARCH
                REFERENCES
                APPENDIX A. ROADWAY LIGHTING DETAILS
                APPENDIX B. STATE PRACTICES
                APPENDIX C. RESEARCH PROBLEM STATEMENTS U.S. DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

**Federal Highway Administration**

1200 NEW JERSEY AVENUE, SE

WASHINGTON, DC 20590

202-366-4000Subscribe to email updates
                    About
  

        
              About FHWA
                Careers
                Org Chart
                Staff Directories
                Work with UsPrograms
  

        
              Acquisition Management
                Civil Rights
                Federal Lands Highway
                Infrastructure
                Innovative Program Delivery
                Operations
                Planning, Environment, and Realty
                Policy
                Research, Development, and Technology
                SafetyPolicies, Rights, Legal
  

        
              About DOT
                Accessibility
                Budget and Performance
                Civil Rights
                FOIA
                Information Quality
                No FEAR Act
                Office of Inspector General
                Privacy Policy
                USA.gov
                Web Policies and Notices
                Web StandardsNews & Events
  

        
              Newsroom
                Press Releases
                Speeches & Testimony
                Media Contacts
                Connect with Us