Developing Guidance for Use of Lighting on Rural and Urban Roadways in Iowa

Project Details
STATUS

Completed

PROJECT NUMBER

TR-540, 05-220

START DATE

08/01/05

END DATE

02/29/08

FOCUS AREAS

Safety

RESEARCH CENTERS InTrans, CTRE, SUDAS
SPONSORS

Iowa Department of Transportation

Researchers
Principal Investigator
Neal Hawkins

Associate Director, InTrans

Co-Principal Investigator
Shauna Hallmark

Director, InTrans

Co-Principal Investigator
Omar Smadi

Director, CTRE

Student Researcher(s)
Caroline Kinzenbaw
Hillary Isebrands
Massiel Orellana

About the research

Citizens request the installation of roadway lighting in their communities based on several motivations, including the experience or perception that lighting improves traffic safety and reduces crime, while also providing a tangible benefit of taxpayer dollars at work. Roadway authority staff fully appreciate these citizen concerns; however, roadway lighting is expensive to install, supply energy to, and maintain in perpetuity. The installation of roadway lighting is only one of a number of strategies agencies have to address nighttime crash concerns. This research assists local agencies in deciding when, where, and how much rural intersection lighting to provide.

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