EVALUATION OF EXPERIMENTAL TUNNEL LIGHTING IN 30TH STREET UNDERPASS ON I-676 IN PHILADELPHIA

An experimental lighting system was installed in the underpass on I676 in Philadelphia. The lighting system was designed to provide 5 levels of illumination ranging from 500 fc horizontal down to 2 fc horizontal. Low pressure sodium vapor lamps were used for the illumination. The internal level was automatically set by a series of photocells external to the underpass and automatically provided a ratio of internal to external luminance of approximately 10%. The objective of the research was to determine the effect of the improved illumination on traffic operations. Four measures were employed: (1) effect on traffic accidents, (2) effect on vehicle velocity maintenance, (3) effect on deceleration characteristics (i.e., braking) and (4) effect on drivers' subjective responses to the new lighting.

• Supplemental Notes:
  • Sponsored by Pennsylvania Dept. of Transportation, Harrisburg. Bureau of Materials, Testing and Research.
• Corporate Authors:

  Franklin Institute

  Research Laboratories, Benjamin Franklin Parkway
  Philadelphia, PA  United States 

  Pennsylvania Department of Transportation

  Bureau of Materials, Testing and Research, 1118 State State
  Harrisburg, PA  United States  17112
• Authors:
  • Janoff, M S
• Publication Date: 1975-3

Media Info

• Pagination: 83 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Adaptive control; Alternatives analysis; Automatic control; Braking; Crashes; Data collection; Drivers; Environmental engineering; Human factors engineering; Lighting systems; Performance evaluations; Recommendations; Sodium vapor lamps; Street lighting; Traffic flow; Underpasses; Urban transportation; Vehicular tunnels; Velocity
• Uncontrolled Terms: Comparative analysis; Experimental design; Intensity
• Geographic Terms: Pennsylvania
• Old TRIS Terms: Illuminating; Sodium lamps
• Subject Areas: Highways; Research; Safety and Human Factors;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00092418
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: National Technical Information Service
• Report/Paper Numbers: FIRL-F-C3861 Final Rpt.
• Files: NTIS, STATEDOT
• Created Date: Nov 5 1976 12:00AM