Evening star., 1937-02-14

IL Is almost Impossible. ana naturally
we must educate the public in all the
aspects Of safety, we must strive for
effective legislation covering registra-
ton, licensing, automobile inspection,
compulsory insurance. But the only
thing we can actually buy for safety
Is still lighting.
In 1917, when we didn't need it so
much, the answer would not have been
simple, for we couldn't light efficiently
or economically. We didn't have the
equipment; science hadn't caught up
with the need. But today it is ahead
Of us, the facilities are available, and
We don't use them.
THE technical problems to be over
come have been many. It has
been necessary to develop light sources
capable of producing adequate intensi-
ties economically and efficiently. Three
new types Of lighting equipment exist
today as an answer to the challenge.
A sodium-vapor lamp of 10000 lumens
G,000 candlepoweD, said to give
nearly three times as much light per
watt as the incandescent lamp, which
is more familiar; the mercury-vapor
unit, almost twice as efficient as in
candescent lighting. and a new in
candescent lamp of high intensity
which is the most suitable light source
under certain conditions.
1t has been necessary to develop
equipment and a technique for utiliz-
ing these powerful sources-for dis
tributing their light evenly and with
out glare. This also has been done
and modern installation of safety
lighting now affords TOO to 1900
feet of visibility, with no discomfort
to the driver. Headlights give not
much more than 125 feet of clear
vision, and even at 40 miles, you know,
1t takes minimum Of lis feet to
stop. The units in these new in
stallations are mounted at a height
Of from IS to 80 feet, and are sus-
pended II to Is feet out over the road.
1t Is not the contention of any one
that all highways should be lighted,
though probably the day will come
when all roads of any Importance will
be. For the present it is enough to
consider the major highways carrying
heavy trafhc"-that is, something
over $500 vehicles per mile every
"a hours. There are about $4,000
miles of this type of highway. which
represents only Is per cent of the
35O,0O0 miles of surfaced highways
making up the State system. The
whole national system totals about
100000 miles of roads.
To install the most modern and
efficient safety lighting on this $4,000
miles Of highway would cost from
sl25. 100000 to s150,000,00O. Add to
that the annual operating cost of
from $30,000,000 to $4,000, 900 and
1t seems like a lot of money. But
is it?
Remember that we pay over a bill
lion dollars in various automobile taxes
in one year alone. Remember that
we pay-not directly, but pay, never
theless-about a billion and a half
dollars in economic losses every year.
Remember the thousands of lives lost
every year. Consider, too, that it
would be beyond all possibility to light
10000 miles of highway in one year
1t Will take many years. But even if
1t were possible, the whole cost would
be only 10 per cent of the motor We
hlcle taxes for that year. And the
upkeep Of this system? 1t would
amount to but 6 per cent of the
present gasoline tax, or about ~ cents
per gallon.
would $4,000 miles of safety
lighting accomplish? Most au-
thorities who have studied the prob
lem agree that adequate lighting would
cut night traffic deaths in half. From
a 50,000-mile program it can be esti-
mated that 5000 lives would be saved
$4,000 casualties, and 100,-
600 cases Of property damage. Is it
worth it for IA cents a gallon of
gasoline?
That is the objective we must set
for ourselves-50,OO0 miles of safety
with light" But now let's look at
the record Have we done anything
SO far? A little-a lot in ways, for
starting is always the hard part. And
we have made start.
During 1886 the worlds longest
stretch of highway lighting was put
into operation along route 7 on the
outskirts of Schenectady, N. Y. The
system was installed and is maintained
BY the New York Power g. Light Corp.
schenectady County recently opened
another longest stretch-6 miles of in
safety lighting.
Ohio. through its safety council,
initiated a program in July of this
year to establish 48 safety demonstra-
tional highways throughout the State.
These will all be provided with safety
lighting systems. Several have already
been put into operation.
Minnesota has taken similar steps
and in Indiana a proposal will be
presented to the 1897 Legislature to
light 1000 miles of its main traffic
Possibly the most important in
stallation Of modern highway lighting
during the year was made in connec-
ton with the San Francisco Oakland
Bay Bridge. Here the six high-speed
lanes and the three lanes for heavy
traffic of the 10 mile upper and lower
decks are lighted with sodium-vapor
safety units.
Certainly the highway lighting
movement gained more momentum in
1885 than it has in any previous year,
most Of the activity centering in New
York, Connecticut, Ohio, Illinois,
Missouri, Minnesota and California.
It may not seem to be much If we
have in mind the 50.000-mile goal.
But it Is q start and 81 900 lives are
worth working for. The close of 1887
may see us many strides further
toward safety with light"