AARoads Forum

National Boards => General Highway Talk => Topic started by: jgb191 on February 15, 2009, 11:23:25 PM

Title: High Masts
Post by: jgb191 on February 15, 2009, 11:23:25 PM
It seems to be the trend for the Texas freeways.

The Houston freeways are the classic examples, but not just them....several other Texas cities have them.

San Antonio has them along the double-deck sections

Laredo has them along I-35.

Corpus Christi has had them along I-37 since 1995, and now the SPID Freeway installed in 2007.

Beaumont has them along I-10....installed almost 20 years ago.

And the US 281 just north of the McAllen area has them.

Are there any other freeways that have them?
Title: Re: High Masts
Post by: Voyager on February 16, 2009, 01:30:25 AM
I've noticed those too. They're really not that pretty in the daytime, don't get why they build so many of them.
Title: Re: High Masts
Post by: Marc on February 16, 2009, 11:19:39 AM
Quote from: froggie on February 16, 2009, 06:50:34 AM
Are you referring to high mast lighting?


Probably. Every freeway in Houston is lined with them (except for the tollways). The older freeways have directional mast lighting, where the lights are angled towards the mainlanes of traffic, but the newer freeways just have standard mast lighting where the lights all point down. And don't get me started on how tall Texas' lighting is compared to other states. Is there really a need to have high mast lighting at 150 feet?

From HoustonFreeways.com:
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fhoustonfreeways.com%2Fmodern%2Fimages%2F2008-07-06_katy%2F10_20080706_IMG_2374_antoine.jpg&hash=7385dd6461fb3905686174ea598413f312bc26ee)
Title: Re: High Masts
Post by: Greybear on February 16, 2009, 11:36:15 AM
There is mast lighting at each interchange along I-30 in Greenville and Texarkana
Title: Re: High Masts
Post by: Chris on February 16, 2009, 11:57:36 AM
That looks more like football stadium lighting...
Title: Re: High Masts
Post by: FLRoads on February 16, 2009, 12:32:35 PM
And high mast lighting is NOT conducive to high winds...

(//www.aaroads.com/forum_images/southeast/i-075_at_exit_164_post_hurricane_charile.jpg)

Interstate 75 northbound at Exit 164 (U.S. 17) in Punta Gorda, Florida.  Notice the gore sign for the exit is missing and the high mast lighting has been bent at an angle.  All the high mast lighting at this interchange and other interchanges in the area were bent at the exact same angle and height.  Just goes to show what 145 mph winds can do.  Photo taken 08/15/04.
Title: Re: High Masts
Post by: Alex on February 16, 2009, 01:53:23 PM
One thing that Florida does do ahead of a hurricane is to lower the fixtures via a pulley system to ground level. That at least spares them potential damage.

I've seen this a few times in Northwest Florida.
Title: Re: High Masts
Post by: FLRoads on February 16, 2009, 02:03:51 PM
Quote from: aaroads on February 16, 2009, 01:53:23 PM
One thing that Florida does do ahead of a hurricane is to lower the fixtures via a pulley system to ground level. That at least spares them potential damage.

I've seen this a few times in Northwest Florida.

Yes, in normal circumstances this is the case.  Unfortunately with the case of Charley time was not on the side of the DOT to perform that task.  Since the category 2 storm was projected to affect the Tampa Bay area no precautions were taken for the southwestern Florida area interstate.  Nobody expected this storm to change direction nor strengthen into a cat 4 within the span of an hour.  And by that time it was well too late to do anything about the high mast lighting along that portion.  On a side note, the mast arm poles at Taylor Road and Jones Loop Road (near I-75) were twisted like pretzels, with at least two traffic lights still attached!!  Too bad I didn't take a picture of that...
Title: Re: High Masts
Post by: Marc on February 16, 2009, 06:38:24 PM
Quote from: Chris on February 16, 2009, 11:57:36 AM
That looks more like football stadium lighting...

Haha, welcome to Texas.