A PRELIMINARY FIELD EVALUATION OF ULTRAVIOLET-ACTIVATED FLUORESCENT ROADWAY DELINEATION
This article describes the results of a two-part study by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) showing that drivers can see ultraviolet (UV)-activated fluorescent roadway markings at a greater distance in comparison to standard roadway markings. Field trials were conducted in dry weather during October and November 1995 between 7 and 11 p.m. on a section of the Clara Barton Parkway in Montgomery County, Maryland, a suburb of Washington, DC. The Clara Barton Parkway is a four-lane, divided highway with a 6- to 9-meter grass median. There are a few post-mounted reflectors and the posted speed limit is 80 kph (50 mph). A 1993 Volvo series 960 was equipped with three rectangular Ultralux UV lamps installed in front of the grill and on top of the front bumper. The UV lamps, when activated by a toggle switch in the cabin of the Volvo, were always used in addition to standard Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) low-beam headlights. The article describes the dynamic test site, static test site, test subjects, and testing procedure. Results indicate that UV headlights provided a very noticeable increase in delineation visibility. In dynamic testing, the mean subjective rating of the roadway delineation with the UV headlights was 19 percent higher than with regular low beams. In the static testing, with the UV headlights and UV-activated pavement markings, subjects were able to see an average of 25 percent farther along the edge line and 29 percent more of the center skip lines. In the static testing, the subjective rating of visibility increased 47 percent with the UV headlights.
- Record URL:
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Availability:
- Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/oclc/1586080
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Corporate Authors:
Federal Highway Administration
1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
Washington, DC United States 20590 -
Authors:
- Mahach, K R
- Knoblauch, R L
- Simmons, C J
- Nitzburg, M
- Arens, J B
- Tignor, S C
- Publication Date: 1997-7
Language
- English
Media Info
- Features: Figures; Photos; References; Tables;
- Pagination: p. 2-7
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Serial:
- Public Roads
- Volume: 61
- Issue Number: 1
- Publisher: Federal Highway Administration
- ISSN: 0033-3735
- Serial URL: https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/publicroads/
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Publication flags:
Open Access (libre)
Subject/Index Terms
- TRT Terms: Dynamic tests; Field tests; Fluorescence; Headlamps; Highway delineators; Highway design; Highway safety; Innovation; Road markings; Static tests; Ultraviolet light; Visibility
- Geographic Terms: Washington Metropolitan Area
- Old TRIS Terms: Fluorescent traffic markings; Highway delineation; Ultraviolet headlights
- Subject Areas: Highways; Operations and Traffic Management; Vehicles and Equipment; I73: Traffic Control; I91: Vehicle Design and Safety;
Filing Info
- Accession Number: 00739600
- Record Type: Publication
- Files: TRIS, ATRI, USDOT
- Created Date: Jul 29 1997 12:00AM