Citation

Taragin A, Rudy BM. Highw. Res. Board bull. 1960; 255: 1-29.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1960, National Research Council (U.S.A.), Highway Research Board)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Increasing construction of freeways has stimulated much discussion of highway illumination and its possible value in providing more comfortable night driving, in the possibility of increasing night usage of the highway, and in reducing traffic accidents. Because of lack of factual knowledge on the subject, the Connecticut state highway department in cooperation with the U.S. Bureau of Public Roads undertook a comprehensive study of illumination and delineation on the Connecticut Turnpike. Driver behavior data were recorded under nine different conditions of highway illumination and delineation at one onramp and one offramp on a mercury-illuminated section of the connecticut turnpike. Accident data were obtained on the 53-mi continuous illuminated section and on the 76-mi nonilluminated section. For the various conditions of illumination and delineation, the results showed no significant differences with respect to average vehicle speeds, lateral placements, and clearances between vehicles. The manner of night use of speed change lanes, particularly the acceleration lane, improved with increased illumination. In general, it appears that some beneficial results of illumination in the deceleration area are derived when it is used at the full level and that even greater service is provided when illumination is combined with roadside delineation, and that illumination of the interchange area only, does not appear to be advantageous insofar as the onramp site is concerned. The importance of delineation, with or without illumination, is demonstrated. Analysis of the accident data for the lighted and unlighted sections of the connecticut turnpike did not provide conclusive results because of the extreme variance in traffic volumes and other characteristics.