RSS 12 - Floodlighting pedestrian crossings

- October 1999

Table of contents

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1. Introduction

In April / May 1999 the Regional Offices of the Land Transport Safety Authority (LTSA) conducted surveys of three safety areas in 31 road controlling authorities (RCA). The 31 RCAs included three regional offices of Transit New Zealand and 28 territorial local authorities.

The three safety areas surveyed were:

• Skid resistance (interview surveys only)
• Pedestrian platforms (interview and field surveys)
• Floodlighting pedestrian crossings (interview and field surveys)

This report describes the procedures for the surveys on Floodlighting pedestrian crossings and presents the results.

2. Purpose of the surveys

The purpose of the survey on Floodlighting pedestrian crossings was to:

• Review the systems used by road controlling authorities to install and maintain floodlighting,
• Determine what standards and guidelines are being used,
• Measure the performance of Floodlighting at pedestrian crossings against the NZ standard NZS 6701:1983 and the draft joint standard AS/NZS 1158 Part 2 Pedestrian area (Category P) lighting.
• Seek opinions from road controlling authorities on;
  1. The adequacy of the current NZ standard NZS6701:1983 in relation to the Australian Standard AS 1158.4-1987
  2. Policies using Belisha beacons or fluoro discs at pedestrian crossings.

3. Methodology

3.1 Sample selection

A sample of 31 RCAs was chosen for inclusion in the surveys. This included 28 territorial local authorities and three regional offices of Transit New Zealand. The sample was weighted towards authorities not included in the LTSA's surveys of the previous year.

3.2 Interview surveys

Interview surveys were conducted with representatives in each authority. Survey forms were sent in advance to allow time to research answers if necessary. Questions centred on the standards and guidelines used for floodlighting pedestrian crossings.

The questionnaire is attached as Appendix 1

3.3 Field surveys

Night-time measurements of horizontal illumination (lux) were made on six or more randomly selected floodlit pedestrian crossings and up to four randomly selected pedestrian platforms for each RCA.

The measurements were made with a calibrated lux meter held horizontal at road level at three points along the central axis of the and at another 3 points along the darkest edge of the crossing. The field survey sheet is attached as Appendix 2.

The NZ pedestrian crossing floodlighting standard NZS6701(3) specifies that all points on a crossing should be lit to 20 lux. The six points were chosen to gain an overall indication of illumination on the crossing and to identify the darkest point.

The draft NZ lighting standard AS/NZS 1158 Category P lighting contains lighting requirements for "traffic management devices" which include pedestrian platforms. The standard specifies a minimum illumination of 3.5 lux at all points on the platform and within an area 3m either side of the platform. In this survey measurements were made along the centre axis of the platform (ie along the line that pedestrians walk) and again parallel to this axis 3 metres beyond the platform.

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