Lack of lighting on urban highways

[architect77]

String the wiring above ground?

Mike

I'd rather not have lighting than to see each pole connected with visible wires. That would be atrocious. Why haven't we perfected glow in the dark lane striping though?

Well, the HOA doesn't regulate state highways and the public generally wants its urbanized freeways to be well lit, so you do what you can to provide that service.

Mike

You can go look at several state's DOT websites and learn their criteria for sections that get lighting and the ones that don't. If the general public wants it then develop a plan to pay for it in many more areas. Then hire a company specializing in making them resistant to vandalism with aluminum wiring and devices to stymie attempts to the strip out the wiring.

Many big cities have vast areas without highway lighting and people with decent vision manage to use them safely.

How about solar lights with a little panel on each pole? No monthly bills and even a tiny battery pack like on e-bikes could power them through the night.

I actually do find it easier to drive at night without lighting. Too much can really obscure your vision. This is why the recent construction on US 101 through the SF Valley has been constructing a rather tall median, to keep the headlights of opposing traffic out of my view (especially when so many drive with their brights on).

I said in a post long ago that I happened to drive on CA-166 at night right after it had just been restriped. The retroreflective road markings were so effective it was like the whole highway was glowing in the dark. Was far more useful than any lighting would have ever been.

That reminds me of my California friend when visiting the East Coast. In a construction zone he goes, "Why do they use orange barrels? California uses cones."

Then he experienced how hard it rains during a thunderstorm on Long Island. I was like, That's why they use big orange barrels instead of wimpy think cones. You wouldn't see them in a torrential downpour."

[mgk920]

Ditto snowy weather. 

Mike