NancyClanton of Clanton & Associates discussed testing conducted by Ron Gibbons, Director of the Center for Infrastructure Based Safety Systems (CIBSS) at Virgina Tech. Below is what we learned:
- Seatle prefers 4100K roadway lighting; San Jose and San Diego prefer 3500 K
- Overall, women prefer warmer temperatures
- 4100K had the highest detection distances at all light levels.
- At 4100K, dimming LED did not affect stopping distances on dry pavement.
- Contrast is the key and uniformity does not improve detection. Uniformity may not be good. Nonuniformity has more to do with visibility than the industry ever realized.
- There was more contrast at 25% light level than at 100% light level.
- The industry used to “spray” light on a subject; with the advent of SSL there is much more precision. Perhaps the industry should consider new terminology and replace terms like Type II and Type III with Single Lane or Single Lane and Sidewalk.
- The new RP8 is almost out. There is one comment to resolve before it is voted on by the IES Board of Directors