Victoria trials glow-in-the-dark line markings
Dangerously dark and winding roads could soon be a little safer, thanks to a new type of line-marking paint being tested in Victoria.
A new type of photo-luminescent paint is being used in a line marking trial in regional areas of Victoria.
Just like the stars on the ceiling of your childhood bedroom, the road markings will glow green at night, helping drivers to see where the road is going beyond the reach of most low-beam headlights.
A spokesperson for the Victorian Department of Transport told Drive it had begun a new program to improve road safety across the state.
“As part of this, we’re trialling photo-luminescent line marking to improve visibility at select sites and will evaluate the effectiveness before considering future phases of the trial.”
The Australian Road Research Board (ARRB) confirmed to Drive the organisation was working with the Victorian Department of Transport on the trial, and is helping Main Roads Western Australia to explore how the technology can best be used in WA.
“ARRB sees that there is great potential for self-illuminating line marking to provide safety benefits on roads with sharp crests and tight curves or a complex alignment,” a spokesperson for the organisation told Drive.
“This is because a car’s headlights are unable to illuminate the line marking more than 30 metres or so in front of the vehicle, whereas self-illuminating lines are not limited by the direction the headlights are pointing.”
It’s understood Australian company Smarter Lite Group is supplying the phosphor paint, while Tarmac Linemarking has been tasked with applying the lines across 70 locations in Victoria.
A spokesperson for the Smarter Lite Group told Drive while the costs for the special paint was greater than the typical white paint used for line marking, the technology is seen as a quick and cost-effective solution in areas where street lighting would be expensive or impractical to install.
The phosphorescent paint is also seen as a way to reduce light pollution in the sky, which is mostly caused by street lamps in built-up areas.
“Some other potential uses of self-illuminating line marking are at vulnerable road user crossings and off-road cycle and pedestrian paths,” the ARRB spokesperson said.
It’s not the first time this idea has been tested. In 2014, the Netherlands tried using photo-luminescent paint for a 100km stretch – but the trial failed after less than two weeks.
According to the BBC, the lines “faded out”, with the paint not absorbing enough light during the day due to heavy rainfall – issues the national transport research organisation is keen to test.
“ARRB is also interested to identify the performance of the product in wet weather and if the lines are easily detectable by Automated Vehicles throughout all hours of the night,” said the spokesperson.
“ARRB is eager to work with road agencies and manufacturers/suppliers to identify how the product performs over time, specifically how long the self-illumination is sustained at adequate levels throughout the night when installed, and after several months and years of installation.”
According to the 2014 trial in the Netherlands, a number of motorists were reported as driving at night without their headlights at the time in order to see the glow-in-the-dark lines working.
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