American light poles

[Truvelo]

Does anyone know why the typical American light pole has twin brackets between the pole and the lantern like in this picture? Is it structural or just for artistic reasons? To me they are one of the classic American symbols like WALK/DON'T WALK at traffic lights which sadly are being replaced with hands.

[Bryant5493]

I hadn't thought about it, but it might be for extra support (?).

I almost thought that was Georgia for a moment, because of the lightpole (lol).


Be well,

Bryant

[akotchi]

It looks like the entrance to NJ on U.S. 206 from the Milford-Montague Bridge.  Sorry, wrong thread . . .

I believe this style of lighting arm has been New Jersey's standard for a long time, at least for aluminum poles.  The second member is likely for support.  There is a different, single-member arm for installation of lighting on steel signal poles.  Signal indications are installed in a similar fashion in New Jersey.

I'm not sure how the standard changes from state to state.

[Scott5114]

I would guess structural. Looks like the top bar would be too flimsy to support the light otherwise.

If you like those, you'd love Springfield, Missouri–the stoplight mastarms are of the same design!

[Bryant5493]

^^ Wow! That's an odd sight, I'm sure.


Be well,

Bryant

[Marc]

I like these exaggerated ones from Florida the best:

[Truvelo]

Over here, our lighting has only a single bar, not two. I just thought it may be an American thing of doing everything bigger and better

[mightyace]

Over here, our lighting has only a single bar, not two. I just thought it may be an American thing of doing everything bigger and better

Well, bigger anyway.

[Voyager]

California doesn't use those as far as I can remember.

[roadfro]

Over here, our lighting has only a single bar, not two. I just thought it may be an American thing of doing everything bigger and better

Street light poles in major areas of Nevada are similar to those seen on the right side of this picture.  Generally, the mast arm features a more pronounced curve resulting in the luminaire resting higher than the top of the main pole.

[Ian]

It looks like the entrance to NJ on U.S. 206 from the Milford-Montague Bridge.  Sorry, wrong thread . . .

I believe this style of lighting arm has been New Jersey's standard for a long time, at least for aluminum poles.  The second member is likely for support.  There is a different, single-member arm for installation of lighting on steel signal poles.  Signal indications are installed in a similar fashion in New Jersey.

I'm not sure how the standard changes from state to state.

http://picasaweb.google.com/Iansignal/NewJerseyTrafficSignalsAndRoadSigns#5289505812148601410

like these?? 

The street lamp posts with the double arms are known as truss arms BTW.

[Marc]

California doesn't use those as far as I can remember.

I believe they use "single bar" type lights. Mississippi also makes use of the California-style light poles in certain locations (especially newly constructed ones). Although, Mississippi mainly uses high mast lighting in most locations.

Although not new, this is from I-110 in Biloxi:

[brad2971]

"The street lamp posts with the double arms are known as truss arms BTW."

I wonder if Minnesota and North Dakota call their double-armed traffic lights by that name

[Ian]

if you guys have any traffic signal related questions, you can ask me 

"The street lamp posts with the double arms are known as truss arms BTW."

I wonder if Minnesota and North Dakota call their double-armed traffic lights by that name

I wouldnt TRUSS that 

[agonizer17]

has anybody ever thought about why in some states, say like Texas, they have those light posts, but... they have them one after another for long intervals? In California, that's practically never seen. Even the huge highmast lighting too... that's always amazed me.

[Stephane Dumas]

Here in Quebec, we got a different design in the light poles (picture founded at http://richard3.wordpress.com/2008/02/28/a-955-lautoroute-qui-nen-sera-jamais-une/ )

[Marc]

has anybody ever thought about why in some states, say like Texas, they have those light posts, but... they have them one after another for long intervals? In California, that's practically never seen. Even the huge highmast lighting too... that's always amazed me.

Personally, I'm not a fan of the high mast type Texas uses (technically it depends on the city your in). In Houston, all the freeways are lined with massive high mast lighting poles. It's overkill if you ask me. Plus, they make the freeways look more cluttered/unattractive to me.

I prefer the way San Antonio builds their roads in terms of lighting. They don't have many freeways lined with high mast at all. Their roads look much nicer because of it, in my opinion.

Dallas and Austin seem to have some freeways with and some freeways without. Happy medium.

[Greybear]

The last time I was through there, Texarkana (both sides of the state line) has high mast lighting along I-30 at the interchanges.

[Duke87]

Meh. There's more than one way to skin a cat. Someone in the US comes up with a way of doing it and it gets used throughout the US. Someone in Europe, independent of that, comes up with a different way and it gets used throughout Europe.
It's not that one necessarily has any advantages over the other, it's just a matter of what people are used to dealing with.

You see this kind of thing in all sorts of areas.
Surveying equipment manufactured in the US traditionally has had four leveling screws, while surveying equipment manufactured in Japan (and now, in China and other nearby areas) has had three.
American cars typically use a push pedal for the parking brake always, whereas Japanese cars typically only do that for vans and SUVs, using a pull brake between the seats for simple cars.

People just do things differently in different places.

[Bryant5493]

Here's some more American light poles, out of Metropolitan Atlanta.


Be well,

Bryant

[attachment deleted by admin]

[Truvelo]

What is the lantern in the second picture? I see them everywhere, from street poles to those in people's yards and mounted on the side of buildings as floodlights.

[Bryant5493]

What is the lantern in the second picture? I see them everywhere, from street poles to those in people's yards and mounted on the side of buildings as floodlights.

I'm not sure. It's been there since the building that it's in front of has been there.


Be well,

Bryant

[Truvelo]

I saw the most attractive wooden light poles the other day on the Meadowbrook State Parkway on Long Island. Forget truss arms, these are now my favorite.

[CL]

Utah has two curves in its light poles. Before that first curve begins is where they attach everything above it, meaning they can adjust the length pretty easily by simply replacing that top portion.

[architect77]

California doesn't use those as far as I can remember.

I believe they use "single bar" type lights. Mississippi also makes use of the California-style light poles in certain locations (especially newly constructed ones). Although, Mississippi mainly uses high mast lighting in most locations.

Although not new, this is from I-110 in Biloxi:

These are very elegant. The angle variations in the cobra head lighting (that Florida pic) illustrates the fine line between aesthetically pleasing and downright ugly...