FHWA Lighting Handbook

This handbook is an update to the 1978 FHWA Lighting Handbook 78-15 as well as the 1983 addendum. It is meant to provide guidance to designers and State, city, and town officials concerning the application of roadway lighting. Supplementing and referring to other resources developed by AASHTO, IES, and CIE this document contains information on:

Policy and Guidance – discussing references, policy, and recommendations used by FHWA in evaluating and administering funds for roadway and street lighting projects.

Basic Terms and Concepts – discussing descriptions of significant terms and concepts used in roadway and street lighting projects.

Warranting Criteria – including various warranting methods available when considering lighting.

Lighting Impacts – discussing various impacts (both positive and negative) of lighting systems and ways to control and mitigate.

Application Considerations – supplementing information provided in the reference documents.

Other Systems and Issues – discussing additional lighting and non-lighting elements impacting the roadway user.