Safer Nighttime Construction Zones Through Better Lighting: Illinois Develops and Applies Practical Guidelines

In 2006, the Illinois Center for Transportation, a research partnership between the Illinois DOT and the University of Illinois, sponsored a research project to develop an easy way to measure glare and to rewrite existing lighting specifications to be more user-friendly and practical. The researchers visited nighttime construction projects that included patching, milling and resurfacing, and bridge beam replacement. Researchers identified balloon lighting as producing substantially less glare–10 percent to 15 percent of the ratios from the other sources. The final specification, “Nighttime Work Zone Lighting,” provides a safer work environment that offers the visibility for higher-quality work. Applying the new specification is expected to increase safety for workers and for drivers by eliminating or reducing glare; to enhance the quality of work, including inspection, through sufficient lighting; and possibly increase productivity as a result of the improved work conditions on the construction site.