Mast lighting verses standard lighting

[roadman65]

Just recently in Orlando on FL 528 at Exit 9 (Conway Road/Tradeport Drive) as part of the FL 528 Airport Toll Plaza removal project the CFX removed the high mast interchange lighting for standard pole lighting.  Now, this is not the first as FDOT did it several years ago when Disney extended World Drive to the south of US 192.  Originally the US 192/ World Drive Interchange had the tall mast lighting and changed them out for the traditional ones as well at that moment.

I always thought that the tall mast lighting was more economical as less bulbs are needed as they cover a more wider area then the lower lights do, as the regular lights need to be placed ever so many feet where the tall masts can be spread out further from each other.  Is there any specific reason why any road engineer would have them removed for the more not so economical standard lighting?

[Brandon]

I've never much cared for high mast lighting. I find that during fog, mist, rain, and snow events, they light tends to scatter all over the place and make it harder to see than if the lights were never there in the first place.

[Bitmapped]

West Virginia has been heavily moving to high mast lighting in recent years. The newer interchange lighting projects have been all or mostly high mast lighting, and a number of replacement projects have involved removing regular lighting at interchanges and replacing it with high mast lighting. They even used high mast lighting for 6 continuous miles of mainline I-70 east of Wheeling this year.

[roadman65]

US 441 in Palm Beach County here in Florida has a linear line of high mast lighting as well.  Plus its easier to change the bulbs when they burn out as the whole assembly slides down the pole.   That was added when FDOT widened the road to eight overall lanes, which is why at Disney (also an FDOT maintained interchange at US 192) they did the reverse.

As far as FL 528 goes, they are run by the same agency that made the EB FL 408 to NB FL 417 access much difficult now compared to before with the freeway connector now chopped up and a flyover at another location the connection now.  The good ole CFX, that has many worthless projects like adding a mainline toll in a rural area while later on consolidating at another location to do the opposite, and severing the original 429 at 414 when a simple wye or directional could have been built.

[cpzilliacus]

Maryland has been removing some high-mast lighting installed in the early 1970's on the "Between the Beltways" section of I-95 and replacing it with conventional lighting. 

However, as part of the Md. 200 interchange, new high-mast was put up there.

[peterj920]

Wisconsin has been moving towards standard lighting on newly rebuilt interchanges.  The Mitchell Interchange has mast lighting, but was replaced with standard lighting.  3 tunnels replaced some of the bridges also so the mast lighting wouldn't have been as effective.  The new I-41/Wis 29 and I-41/I-43 interchanges also have standard lighting when they may have had mast lighting for that type of interchange in the past.  At the Stadium and Lake Interchanges, mast lighting has been replaced with new poles and lights.  That decision was most likely made because the roads and bridges in the area were rehabbed. 

[Buffaboy]

I always thought high mast lighting was a Southern thing. I can count the number of high mast lights in WNY on one hand.

[Pink Jazz]

ADOT uses high mast lighting for freeway to freeway interchanges.  Other interchanges use standard lighting.

[SSOWorld]

Chicago is chock-full of it - The Dan Ryan and Stevenson use it heavily. 

All of Milwaukee's interchanges used them at one point.  Now AFAIK the Hale and Stadium (as of Nov 2015 shown on GSV) are all that remain of those using it.  The Marquette, Lake (WIP), Mitchell and Zoo (WIP) interchanges use standard lighting.

[Henry]

I always thought high mast lighting was a Southern thing. I can count the number of high mast lights in WNY on one hand.

I used to think these only existed east of the Mississippi. I've seen high-mast lights in most, if not all, of the Eastern states during my travels there.

Chicago is chock-full of it - The Dan Ryan and Stevenson use it heavily. 

Yes, I know that already! And Houston has lots of them too (see I-10 and I-45 as prime examples).

[roadman]

Just recently in Orlando on FL 528 at Exit 9 (Conway Road/Tradeport Drive) as part of the FL 528 Airport Toll Plaza removal project the CFX removed the high mast interchange lighting for standard pole lighting.  Now, this is not the first as FDOT did it several years ago when Disney extended World Drive to the south of US 192.  Originally the US 192/ World Drive Interchange had the tall mast lighting and changed them out for the traditional ones as well at that moment.

I always thought that the tall mast lighting was more economical as less bulbs are needed as they cover a more wider area then the lower lights do, as the regular lights need to be placed ever so many feet where the tall masts can be spread out further from each other.  Is there any specific reason why any road engineer would have them removed for the more not so economical standard lighting?

I suspect that those states moving away from high mast lighting are doing so under pressure from the "light pollution is the latest evil" crowd.

[mariethefoxy]

I-495 in New York has 3 intersections with high mast lights (Exit 49 for 110, Exit 53 for Sagtikos Parkway, and Exit 62 for CR 97) The last two has all the lighting still there, however the high mast lights on Exit 49, a few of them are missing, and in one quadrant of the cloverleaf they put in new regular streetlights.

[roadman65]

I know NJ used them at the Willowbrook Interchange in Wayne at NJ 23, I-80, and US 46; and at I-195/US 9 in Howell.  I also believe that two other interchanges on I-80 in Morris County use them.  If I am not mistaken I-80 at the US 46 connection in Roxbury and the I-80, US 206, & NJ 183 interchange in Netcong.

Then MD used them on the JFK Highway and Delaware at its Delaware House Service Plaza had ones where it had spikes built in the pole so workers can climb the pole to change out the bulbs.  I do not believe the former are still there. 

Oh, and the NJ Turnpike at the Exit 16E/18E plaza had high lighting, but on scaffold poles instead of mast poles.  Jeff can tell us if they still exist there or not.

I guess its all on the project of when the interchanges were built, plus at the toll plazas there has to be high mast lighting because the roadway is too wide for standard lighting to cover. 

However, the fog might be why they have a disadvantage as stated earlier to answer the OP.  Or at least one argument against it.

[Scott5114]

I would guess that standard lighting fares better in a hurricane than high-mast lighting, and that would explain Florida moving away from it. I wouldn't know for other states.

The I-35/SH-9 interchange in Norman, OK has high-mast lighting on site but not yet installed.

[jeffe]

I would guess that standard lighting fares better in a hurricane than high-mast lighting, and that would explain Florida moving away from it. I wouldn't know for other states.

Yeah, I always wondered how high mast lighting would do in a hurricane, but according to Florida's high mast design specs the masts are rated up to 150 mph.

There is also a project to replace the high mast lighting with new LED based high mast lighting at the I-75 and I-275 interchange.  As well as a project to add high mast lighting to the Holt interchange on I-10.

So it looks like Florida is using a mix of high mast and conventional lighting based on the individual situations at each location.

I know that Nevada has made extensive use of high mast lighting to provide continuous mainline lighting in the Las Vegas area.  Basically, the entire beltway around Las Vegas will be lit this way.

Caltrans also has several projects to add high mast lighting at freeway to freeway interchanges in the Los Angeles area.  But interestingly, they removed high mast lighting from their book of standard plans due to low usage.  Therefore, all high mast projects include designs for the high masts as a specific plan for that project. 

[ET21]

High masts are starting to really show their deficiencies. While the concept is sound, lower and more modern lighting poles have shown to be more efficient in both light and energy usage. Prime example is I-88 and the new I-90, where the IL-Tollway is converting the old orange bulbs with high-efficient white LED bulbs.

[peterj920]

Chicago is chock-full of it - The Dan Ryan and Stevenson use it heavily. 

All of Milwaukee's interchanges used them at one point.  Now AFAIK the Hale and Stadium (as of Nov 2015 shown on GSV) are all that remain of those using it.  The Marquette, Lake (WIP), Mitchell and Zoo (WIP) interchanges use standard lighting.

The Lake Interchange still uses mast lighting.  The section of I-43/I-94 around Mitchell St also uses mast lighting due to the dual C/D roadways.  The last new interchange that I've seen receive mast lighting in Wisconsin would have to be the US 53/Wis 93/Business 53 interchange in Eau Claire.

[Brandon]

High masts are starting to really show their deficiencies. While the concept is sound, lower and more modern lighting poles have shown to be more efficient in both light and energy usage. Prime example is I-88 and the new I-90, where the IL-Tollway is converting the old orange bulbs with high-efficient white LED bulbs.

ISTHA has shown a preference for the standard light pole as opposed to high mast lighting (which IDOT seems to prefer).  In fog, rain, mist, and snow, I find the tollways much more pleasant to drive.  The might mast stuff just scatters the light and makes it harder to see, IMHO. It's too far from the ground to be really be useful.

[AMLNet49]

New Hampshire loves high mast lighting for all their major interchanges.

[machias]

I always thought high mast lighting was a Southern thing. I can count the number of high mast lights in WNY on one hand.

NYSDOT Region 2 recently removed some mast lighting installed in 1989 along Interstates 90 and 790. The bases were rotting out and the masts were starting to sway a little bit.  The mast lighting was installed at I-790/NY 5-8-12-5A-5S interchange and it suffered the same fate, though they replaced them with new masts. The original masts at 90/790 were removed and never reinstalled.

[ET21]

High masts are starting to really show their deficiencies. While the concept is sound, lower and more modern lighting poles have shown to be more efficient in both light and energy usage. Prime example is I-88 and the new I-90, where the IL-Tollway is converting the old orange bulbs with high-efficient white LED bulbs.

ISTHA has shown a preference for the standard light pole as opposed to high mast lighting (which IDOT seems to prefer).  In fog, rain, mist, and snow, I find the tollways much more pleasant to drive.  The might mast stuff just scatters the light and makes it harder to see, IMHO. It's too far from the ground to be really be useful.

I agree, weather really makes the masts useless or effective. Bet you'd run into visibility issues tonight with the heavy rain we've had tonight and the possible fog later tonight

[7/8]

Ontario seems to like mast lighting on freeways.

There's even a section of Highway 6 between the 401 and Hwy 5 that uses mast lighting, and it's a 5-lane undivided highway (two-lanes each way plus a centre turn lane).*

EDIT: *I thought there was, though I can't seem to find it on GSV. I'll have to check next time I drive it in case I'm mistaken.

[hm insulators]

There are some freeway interchanges in Phoenix that use mast lighting. Personally, I think it's overkill.

[roadman65]

I was noticing that on I-4 near Disney, even though they took down the high mast poles at World Drive & US 193 for shorter high mast poles with lights just sticking off the top without a long arm they added them since they braided all the ramps between the three closely cramped interchanges there.  Beside the design at Word Drive & US 192  is being used all throughout Disney, so we can assume WDW (or RDIC) had something to do with that maneuver.

Yes from SR 536/ Epcot Center Drive to US 192 the interstate has all high masts, but many have no complete rings though.  Most have only two lights on them only, but nonetheless added them rather recently.

[roadfro]

Nevada seems to like high mast lighting. Most new urban freeway (re-)construction within the last couple decades tends to use high mast lighting.

In Reno: The newest interchanges along I-80 (Robb Dr) and US 395/I-580 (from S Virginia St at exit 61 south to SR 431/Mt Rose Hwy) were built with differing forms of high mast lighting. The lone exception is the Meadowood Mall Way interchange, which was built along a stretch of the freeway that already had standard lighting. (By contrast, the Carson City Freeway was not built with high mast lighting, and only includes lighting at standard lighting at ramp gores.) Also, the I-80/US 395 interchange has high mast lighting as well, but surrounding interchanges and US 395 mainline south of here go to standard lighting.

In Vegas: Freeways tend to be completely lit with high mast lighting on the mainline with extra lighting at interchanges. Examples include: Most of I-15 (except near the southern 215 beltway due to the proximity of the airport), all of US 95 northwest of I-15, and most of the 215 beltway in areas built to full freeway standards (except near the airport, and in parts of Summerlin).


I think NDOT likes the lighting for multilane freeway facilities to improve safety. (Newest high masts on US 95 in northwest Las Vegas are using white LED as opposed to the yellowish high pressure sodium used elsewhere, and I expect new installations to switch over to this.) However, high mast lighting seems somewhat irregular in northern Nevada, and it's possible that weather has something to do with it.

I know that Nevada has made extensive use of high mast lighting to provide continuous mainline lighting in the Las Vegas area.  Basically, the entire beltway around Las Vegas will be lit this way.

Actually, not the whole beltway will be lit this way.

Parts through Summerlin, between roughly Town Center Drive and Cheyenne Ave are not built with high mast lighting on purpose. Much of the right of way for 215 in this area was obtained from the Summerlin people (it may have even been donated) with stipulation that there not be more light than necessary. This stretch only has standard street lighting at the ramp gores (and lighting under bridges). Also, many areas along the northwest curve of the beltway, between Cheyenne Ave and US 95, are through areas designated as "rural preservation neighborhoods". This stretch is also likely not to have high mast lighting when finally built out to full freeway status.