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    <title>Transport Research International Documentation (TRID)</title>
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    <copyright>Copyright © 2026. National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.</copyright>
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    <managingEditor>tris-trb@nas.edu (Bill McLeod)</managingEditor>
    <webMaster>tris-trb@nas.edu (Bill McLeod)</webMaster>
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      <title>LUMINANCE AND CONTRAST FOR SIGN LEGIBILITY AND COLOR RECOGNITION</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/58795</link>
      <description><![CDATA[A laboratory study of sign legibility has shown that a contrast of between 30 and 50 percent is required to maintain 75th percentile legibility.  Legibility distance increased gradually with greater contrast to about 80 percent; above a luminance ratio of 5 to 1, legibility did not increase greatly.  As ambient levels increased, legibility distance increased linearly with the logarithm of either the letter or the sign luminance, whichever was greater.  Five color combinations were measured.  This report gives additional results on color recognition and applies the effects of luminance and contrast to legibility distance for 11 color combinations, after corrections were made for letter and stroke, width.  A method for estimating legibility was developed for black and white letter and sign combinations.  The effects of luminance and contrast on color recognition at five ambient levels showed the need to increase luminance and contrast as ambient levels increase. Laboratory luminance data, confirmed by two sets of outdoor measurements, furnished a basis for determining the luminance ratios used in the legibility estimates.  A basis for estimating glance legibility distance in relation to ordinary legibility (long viewing time) is suggested. /Author/]]></description>
      <pubDate>Thu, 13 Oct 1977 00:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
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      <title>LUMINANCE AND CONTRAST REQUIREMENTS FOR LEGIBILITY AND VISIBILITY OF HIGHWAY SIGNS</title>
      <link>https://trid.trb.org/View/45716</link>
      <description><![CDATA[The study reported on in this paper took place in 2 parts: laboratory tests and outdoor observations.  In the laboratorty tests, which were conducted in a darkroom, 51 series of test signs were projected from color slides against 5 backgrounds simulating rural, suburban, and lighted city conditions.  Luminances ranged from 0.37 to 4.45 ft-L (1.3 to 15.1 cd/sq m).  Legibilities ranged from 20 to 60 ft/in. (2.4 to 7.2 m/cm) and increased approximately linearly with log luminance.  Legibility was impaired when contrast was below 50 to 60 percent and was maximum when contrast was between the ratios of 6 and 13 to 1.  Optimum stroke width appeared to be narrower for white than for black letter combinations.  Color recognition fell below 75 percent correct at lower luminances except for red. The reverse was true for small targets.  Outdoor observations of 12-in. (30.5cm) reflective letters (2 color combinations) under headlights confirmed the lower contrast limits for legibility and effects of stroke width. High-beam outdoor legibility curves and laboratory-corrected trends were similar.  Apparently, glance legibiilty, which was measured by the laboratory procedure, requires higher luminance.  In a previous visibility study, luminance contrasts of sign to background and legend to sign were critical.  These results suggest minimum requirements for both legibility and visibility.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Sat, 04 Sep 1976 00:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
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