The pilot project was launched earlier this month on the N329 road in Oss, about 100 kilometres southeast of Amsterdam.
The paint used for the markings contains a “photoluminescent” powder that charges during the day and slowly emits a green light at night, eliminating the need for street lighting.
Since the road markings were put up two weeks ago, some drivers have reportedly been driving along the road in the dark with their headlights off to see the glow-in-the-dark effect.
Construction company Heijmans, which is working on the pilot project with interactive artist Daan Roosegaarde, confirmed to the BBC that the road markings are sensitive to high levels of moisture from precipitation.
”As expected, real-world testing allows us to learn from both the environment and the users,” Heymans said.
We will use this data to update the version of the “Luminous Line” 2.0. In the meantime, we have temporarily made the lines less visible to avoid confusion for road users.
”We are planning to develop version 2.0 of the Glow Line, which will be ready this summer. After that, it will be widely distributed in the Netherlands and abroad.”
When the road markings were first announced, Highways England said it would monitor the trials closely, but previous research had shown that “luminous road paints are not suitable for use in the country”.
The Department for Transport said it considered a number of factors when deciding whether to include illuminated road markings in its design standards. These included the visibility of the road markings, skid resistance, daytime visibility and effectiveness in the winter months when daylight hours are shorter.
Post time: Jul-23-2025