Country / Region:
Holland, Province of Noord-Holland
Application:
Night delineation and bicycle crossing
Location of installation(s):
N513 in a nature conservation area outside Castricum
Astucia Products:
Hardwired bi-directional studs powered by external solar
panel
Guidance lights
Highway authorities in the Province of Noord-Holland have turned to Astucia's advanced technologies to help solve a problem of road safety in an area where street lighting is off limits.
Faced with growing concerns for the safety of cyclists in areas of environmental sensitivity where street lighting was banned, the Dutch authorities were, compelled to look for other innovative means for improving safety and commissioned a number of trials on alternative technologies at various sites in the region. The positive performance of Astucia products in this trial, led to immediate consideration of Astucia products for the N513 which passes through a popular nature conservation area outside Castricum.
"The difficulty here," said Marc Vissers, Director of Intertraffic Systems B.V, "was that cyclists would often be compelled to cross the road after dark in order to return home from the beach and nearby nature conservation area. The environmental sensitivity of the area meant that street lamps were out of the question with the result that drivers often had difficulty seeing either the crossing or the cyclists."
From a number of available technologies the Province of Noord-Holland chose Astucia's Hardwired Intelligent Road Studs powered by a single externally mounted solar panel as the most effective solution to the problem.
"We wanted a system that did not breach our policy on light pollution," said a spokesman for the provincial government, "but which, at the same time, gave adequate warning of the delineation of the road and the presence of the crossing."
Marc Vissers added, "This dealt with the government's environmental concerns by dramatically reducing not only the light pollution that was of special concern to the authorities, but also the cost of the electricity. In fact the government has reported a 99.2% saving in energy and minimal effect on wildlife. The studs are only illuminated for a few seconds each time an approaching vehicle is detected, allowing the driver to see clearly the sweep of the road and the exact position of the crossing. "
Has it worked? Has it achieved its primary purpose of reducing the casualty rate in the area of the crossing and met the government's criteria on reducing pollution?
A post-implementation study carried out by the Dutch authorities found that "of all the systems (tested), the lit centre stripe lighting (provided by Astucia) is the most effective and (the) safest form of guiding at night and in bad atmospheric circumstances."(1)
So successful have the Astucia Intelligent Road Studs proved to be, that in the two years since they were installed on the N513, there has not been a single road traffic casualty. As for the pollution, the Province has since been awarded the ‘’National Energy-saving award for soil, road and water engineering 2003’’ as a direct result of its implementation of the Astucia scheme at the crossing on the N513.
Note:
(1) Translation of a report on the conclusions of the technical trials conducted on behalf of the Rijkswaterstaat (National Ministry of Transport), "'n Nieuwe richting voor wegeverlichting (New Guidelines to Public Lighting)".
