Detroit freeway lighting... or lack of.

[colinstu]

Do urban freeways really need lights?  IIRC, other urban freeways tend to lack lights such as Milwaukee.  Plus, there's not much lighting out in the rural areas in either Michigan or Wisconsin along the freeways.

Milwaukee & a good bit around it is lit.

[vdeane]

Freeway illumination prevents drivers from overdriving their headlights.  For most cars, at freeway speeds with only their lowbeam headlights on, their headlights would not illuminate a hazard with sufficient time to stop and avoid it.  This is why the nighttime accident rate is often higher than it is for the same location during the day.  Freeway illumination provides a remedy to this problem.

For hazards such as deer, yes.  For other cars, you should be able to see them regardless because of their headlights.  That's the reason they're mandated in rain and fog, for example (running your headlights in these conditions actually reduce your own visibility; their own use is to tell other drivers that your car is there).

[DaBigE]

That's the reason they're mandated in rain and fog, for example (running your headlights in these conditions actually reduce your own visibility; their own use is to tell other drivers that your car is there).

Careful...not all states have had the common sense to make that a law (Wisconsin, I'm looking at you ).

[Brandon]

That's the reason they're mandated in rain and fog, for example (running your headlights in these conditions actually reduce your own visibility; their own use is to tell other drivers that your car is there).

Careful...not all states have had the common sense to make that a law (Wisconsin, I'm looking at you ).

And even when they do, it goes unenforced (yeah, that's Illinois).  I drove to work this morning in the snow (blinding at times), and counted at least two dozen vehicles (including one scout car) without headlights on.

[hm insulators]

Do urban freeways really need lights?  IIRC, other urban freeways tend to lack lights such as Milwaukee.  Plus, there's not much lighting out in the rural areas in either Michigan or Wisconsin along the freeways.

Los Angeles and San Diego also. There's lights at the entrances and exits but not all the way along the freeway.

[hm insulators]

One or two would-be thieves have had an abrupt end to their careers when cutting lines that they mistakenly thought were dead. The publicity seems to deter the bad guys--for awhile. At least, that's been my observation in my area.

Those copper thieves stealing wire from the highway lighting don't know what they're fooling with. Years ago, I befriended a kid who when he was about twelve got too close to a high-voltage line and was electrocuted. He ended up with third-degree burns over some 80% of his body. He's essentially one big burn scar, from head to toe.

[tvketchum]

     You know... as funny as that sounds, I wouldn't be surprised if someone tried.

I read an article in the Indy Star this week, abou the cost of repairs Caltrans has to make repairs to ramp meters and streetlights. Copper is $4 a pound at the scrapyards, and ripping out 10 pounds can run $50,000 to repair. The article went on to describe using aluminum wiring in the repairs, as well as burying  the junction boxes, fuses, and other points in the system under earth, or filling the box with concrete to deter theft. Thieves will tie the cable onto a vehicle and drive off, pulling out as much wire as they can before it breaks.