If you’re a lighting designer or an agency responsible for pedestrian safety, you’ll be interested in a recent Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) study that will change the way in which you position your crosswalk lighting.
The study focuses on a simple concept: how to use lighting to improve the contrast of the pedestrian to his or her background environment. The greater the contrast from the viewpoint of the approaching driver, the more time a driver has to detect and respond to the presence of a pedestrian.
Here are ways that you can use lighting to improve the ability of a driver to spot someone in or near a crosswalk:

Change the position of your light fixtures at mid-block crossings: Light fixtures have historically been placed directly over the crosswalk, a position that doesn’t provide the background contrast that best allows a driver to spot a pedestrian. The FHWA now recommends that luminaires be placed at least 10’ prior to the crosswalk from the perspective of the driver. For roads with traffic traveling in both directions, two light fixtures are recom-mended. See Figure 1 and 2 for traditional and new designs for midblock crosswalks.

Change the position of your light fixtures at intersections: Figure 3 shows a traditional lighting design at an intersection. This design does a great job of lighting the potential conflict area for vehicles (i.e., the intersection itself), but the conflict area for the more vulnerable pedestrian is not as well lit. This is because the side of the pedestrian facing the intersection is better illuminated than the side of the pedestrian facing the approaching vehicle. The FHWA recommends a lighting scheme to improve the visibility of the pedestrian from the viewpoint of the approaching driver. Figure 4 shows their recommended design for intersection crosswalks. This involves lighting the outer limits of the crosswalk to a higher level than the interior side of the same crosswalk.

Reduce light domination: Many roads are lit continuously along the direction of travel. This light can dominate the nightscape, eliminating the important background contrast that makes it easier for a driver to spot a pedestrian. The FHWA recommends that you reduce light domination by moving the location of the next consecutive light fixture after the crosswalk. The spacing they recommend is at a distance 10 times further away than the fixture closest to the walkway.
For retrofits, it may be necessary to remove one or more lights or modify the standard pole spacing. If this is not feasible, move the crosswalk so that the lights maximize the background contrast of the pedestrian.

Lamp Type: Consider the use of metal halide, rather than high pressure sodium (HPS) lamps, at pedestrian crossings. These produce a white or bluish-white light, in contrast to the amber light from the HPS lamps you likely use for your continuous road lighting. Metal halide light provides these benefits:

• A color difference between crosswalk and continuous road lighting. This contrast may help draw driver’s attention to the crossing.
• A higher sense of security for pedestrians. White light improves facial recognition and may deter crime.Peripheral vision for drivers is better with metal halide lamps too.

For more information on improving pedestrian safety, contact Chris Smith, P.E. at (585) 334-1310, ext. 239.