Reduced Barricade Light Usage In Florida

[Brian556]

It used to be that in Florida they would put a light on every barricade and barrel. Now, I'm seeing none on the barrels, and I did a quick look at the SR 429 project in the Mount Dora area, and saw some type III barricades without them also

https://www.google.com/maps/@28.8008726,-81.5911649,3a,61.3y,259.66h,78.08t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sbHLNdy8wv0sA2pktDK71-g!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

[D-Dey65]

Maybe they think the barrels are reflective enough that they don't need lights.

[Brian556]

Here's my opinion on the subject:
Lights are needed on barricades at closure points, and for small repairs within the roadway. Lights are needed on tapers, but not tangents.

I nearly hit a two-barrel taper on an arterial roadway at night because there were no lights or arrow board. They do need to require arrow boards on all roadways where the volume is high, or the speed limit is over a certain threshold

[D-Dey65]

I certainly don't disagree with you on this. I'm just trying to offer what might pass for an educated guess on why they'd neglect the need for lights. I figure it might've been done for the same reason they got rid of button copy.

[Brian556]

They got rid of them in TX a long time ago. Multiple reasons. The biggest was to protect the safety of people that crash into barricades. They don't like them flying through the windshields of the poor little careless drivers. Ironically this was instituted right around 2000 when the much lighter D battery lights came out. Also, they require maintenance in the form of battery changes, and the sheeting is brighter now so that reduces need for them.

[Revive 755]

Interesting . . . Illinois recently did a similar cut back on the amount of lights on barricades.  See http://www.idot.illinois.gov/Assets/uploads/files/Doing-Business/Specialty-Lists/Highways/Design-&-Environment/BDE-Special-Provisions/80392.pdf.