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       If you’ve ever driven on a road without street lights or on a slippery surface, you probably understand the importance of clear road markings. Freshly painted white lines are easy to read, but faded old lines can make your eyes strain to keep track of where you’re going, turning even a calm drive into misery. But what if there was a better solution? What if road markings could light up automatically?
       The Australian state of New South Wales is currently testing luminous road markings. The aim is to improve visibility compared to regular road markings, which would ideally help drivers navigate the road better. Luminous road markings could also be a solution to the long-standing problem of road markings disappearing in the rain.
       This may seem obvious, but it begs the question: why haven’t glowing road markings become the norm? To understand why, we need to understand how they work, why they sometimes disappear, and the history of glowing road markings.
       This is what the first Kudara test site looks like when transitioning from day to night.
       This is a common problem that many young drivers face. When they first drive on a busy motorway in the rain, the road markings suddenly disappear, melting into the asphalt – especially at night. It’s a common problem, but it can be difficult to fix.
       Usually, lane markings are clearly visible even at night. This is because tiny reflective glass beads are embedded in the paint. These beads reflect the light from the headlights back to the car, making the markings easy to see in the dark.
       However, when the markings are soaked with water, it ruins everything. The water changes the path of the light so that it can no longer be reflected. This makes the markings very difficult to see.
       It would seem like an obvious solution to make lane markings automatically illuminated. Instead of reflecting light, they can emit it in all directions, making them more visible in a wider range of conditions. Simple, right? It also improves visibility at night.
       It turns out that light markings on roads are not science fiction. At least in Australia, they are already a reality. Whether they will become commonplace, however, is another matter entirely.
       In December last year, the New South Wales government announced a trial of new road markings on a mountain road south of Sydney. The project, called Glowing Roads, involves testing photoluminescent road markings that absorb sunlight during the day and emit light at night. In other words, they are road markings that glow in the dark. On rural roads where street lighting is not possible, the program aims to make luminescent road markings more visible to drivers.
       The first section to be used will be a complex bend where 125 near misses occurred between 9pm and 4am in the dark. The light markings on the section are designed to make the bend more visible at night, giving drivers the best chance of negotiating it safely. “Visibility of the road ahead is vital to safe driving and that’s what ‘lit roads at night’ does,” said John Graham, NSW Minister for Roads.
       ”The data shows that around a third of fatalities in New South Wales occur at night,” Graham said. “If this trial is deemed successful, we will consider rolling it out to other locations where there have been previous crashes or hazardous situations where better visibility is required.”
       NSW Transport Minister Josh Murray said: “Glowing Roads is the brainchild of our Department of Transport’s Transformation Team, who were looking for a solution to improve safety in remote or isolated areas. The idea was born out of an internal innovation competition. Before officially launching Glowing Roads on public roads, we tested the new markings and luminous paint in a range of conditions at the Future Mobility Proving Ground to ensure they were ready for the next stage of testing.”
       It is hoped that these glowing lines will be particularly useful in extremely low visibility conditions.
       NSW Regional Transport and Roads Minister Jenny Acheson said: “Residents know that visibility on this road, like other similar roads across the state, can be dramatically reduced in seconds when fog or storms hit. I look forward to seeing how this innovative technology performs in these conditions.”
       It is clear that NSW residents are enthusiastic about the project, and drivers and officials will be watching closely to see if it delivers on its promise of improved visibility and safety.
       The idea of ​​illuminated road markings is so obvious that one wonders why no one has tried it before. In fact, many jurisdictions have experimented with the concept over the years. However, illuminated lane markings have not yet become widespread.
       In fact, the Australian state of Victoria conducted a similar trial in 2022. The media, excited by the new nighttime lighting, were quick to report on it. But few paid attention to the further developments of this study. I contacted the Department of Transport and Planning to find out about the progress, but the result was disappointing. According to the department itself, this technology is not considered a technology that can effectively improve safety:
       The Department for Transport and Planning has trialled photoluminescent markings on five rural roads as part of a road safety project.
       Following the tests, the researchers conducted an independent assessment of the technology’s road safety benefits, which did not include very low-speed conditions such as sharp bends on motorways.
       The review concluded that the road safety benefits are not sufficient to justify the installation of photoluminescent markings on more roads. However, in situations where headlights or street lighting are not available, such as on public roads, the use of photoluminescent markings may provide greater benefits.
       Victoria tests a thermoplastic luminescent coating applied over existing road markings. Excellent!
       The trials were eventually stopped without further implementation after an independent investigation found the technology “did not provide sufficient road safety benefits.”
       Other countries have come to similar conclusions. The Netherlands was one of the first countries to join the initiative, the BBC reports. In 2014, authorities tested glow-in-the-dark coatings on a section of the N329 motorway and had high hopes for their effectiveness. The aim was for these special glowing threads to be charged by sunlight during the day and continue to glow for eight hours at night – longer than traditional glow-in-the-dark coatings. It was hoped that in some cases they could even become a viable alternative to street lights, thereby saving energy.
       However, after just a few weeks, it became clear that the paint did not work well in heavy rain. The moisture ate away at the glowing markings, dramatically reducing their light output. In conditions where they could be most useful, they were completely ineffective. Drivers even deliberately turned off their headlights to experience the night-time lighting effect, assuming that they were of little use with the lights on. There was hope for a 2.0 version of the glowing markings, but it never materialized.
       In 2017, Shell released a beautiful video of illuminated traffic lanes in the Netherlands, three years after the technology was found to be of poor quality.
       Malaysia also conducted trials in this direction in 2023. More than 500 meters of markings were applied at the intersection of the B19 and B16 highways. The paint used can glow for more than 10 hours and improves visibility on rainy days.
       Unfortunately, it turned out that the paint was 19 times more expensive than regular road markings and was not as effective. Field studies showed that the paint failed or wore out in just a few weeks. Ultimately, the government decided not to install the luminous markings on other roads.
       It is worth noting that regular white lane markings work very well if properly maintained. In the vast majority of cases, glass beads are used for the markings, which give them reflective properties, reflecting the light from car headlights directly to the driver. This technology works well: cars provide sufficient illumination, and the markings are usually clearly visible. The main problem is that such markings can fade or age, and the glass beads can be damaged over time. However, this is a maintenance issue, and illuminated markings do not really solve this problem.
       The downside to glow-in-the-dark road markings is that they are very dim. Most cars, especially those with modern headlights, emit a lot of light toward the road. The extra light from a glow-in-the-dark coating doesn’t necessarily make a big difference. Think about it: if you’ve ever put up glow-in-the-dark stickers, do you remember having to be in a nearly dark room to see them?
       In the years since the Dutch project began, the prospects for illuminated road markings have remained promising. As we mentioned above, it is well known that rain can reduce the reflectivity of traditional reflective markings. The hope is that illuminated markings will be more visible in such conditions by emitting light rather than simply reflecting it. The Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) is one example.
       Since 2020, UDOT has been conducting limited research on luminescent road paint. The agency has partnered with the University of Utah to find solutions to problems encountered in earlier tests in the Netherlands.
       The researchers were aware of research in the Netherlands that found that rain leached key rare earth elements that make paint glow. That research culminated in a special polymer coating for the luminescent ceramic phosphors, designed to prevent degradation from moisture. However, it wasn’t enough to get the technology off the ground. Despite all the enthusiasm, Utah has yet to roll out its own network of glowing neon roads. Instead, the Utah Department of Transportation focused on laying down contrasting black and white lines to improve visibility in the rain, rather than relying on luminous coating. They also figured out how to make the reflective coating last longer. By embedding the markings in grooves in the road surface, the reflective glass beads are recessed enough to protect them from damage from winter snowplows.
       Illuminated lane markings have been extensively researched and field tested around the world. Authorities hope that they will improve the visibility of road contours in dark areas or make the markings more visible in fog, rain and wet conditions. However, despite these efforts, no transport agency has ever used illuminated road markings on a large scale.
       It appears to be a question of both performance and durability. Luminous lane markings are ineffective and short-lived. There is no significant research to show that luminous lane markings significantly improve visibility or reduce accidents. While they look cool, departments focus on the science rather than the aesthetics. Without data to support their effectiveness, adoption will not happen. Additionally, most trials have encountered the problem of the luminous lane marking paint deteriorating quickly. The last thing departments need is new marking materials that have to be replaced frequently and at great cost.
       What’s happening in New South Wales could be possible, as the state is testing a very specific technology. Specifically, it plans to use glowing lines on sharp bends to attract drivers’ attention and prevent them from running off the road. While glowing lines don’t seem like a big improvement for regular roads or highways, they could be useful on dark roads and tight, low-speed bends where running off the road is common and can have dangerous consequences. However, to justify implementation, glowing lines would have to outperform traditional solutions such as road signs and reflectors.
       For luminous road markings to really work, they need to become brighter and more durable. However, we are unlikely to make significant progress in this direction until we discover new phosphorescent materials. Perhaps one day we will see LEDs or other luminescent technologies illuminating roads. However, when it comes to luminous road markings, this technology is not yet ready for this task.
       The bottom line is that unless you’re in New South Wales, don’t expect to see glowing traffic lines anytime soon. For now, their only usefulness is to provide transport departments with great photo opportunities. They look great, but after a decade of testing, they’re still a novelty. It’s a shame these fancy glowing roads don’t have more value, but for now, they’re just reality. In the meantime, UDOT’s efforts to improve visibility on wet roads are relatively simple and easy to implement, and if they prove effective, they may be more likely to be repeated.
       Lane markings are an esoteric art that you may never have thought about. However, it takes a lot of thought and engineering to make them as safe and visible as possible. Numerous studies confirm that these bright light technologies may not be very effective, but that doesn’t mean they can’t be improved.
       Image credits: Transport for NSW, Transport of Victoria, Minister for Labour Alexander Nanta Linggi (via Facebook), UDOT, Shell (via YouTube) Screenshot
       Usually, lane markings are clearly visible even at night. This is because tiny reflective glass beads are embedded in the paint. These beads reflect the light from the headlights back to the car, making the markings easy to see in the dark.
       Unless you live in Michigan, where plants reflect absolutely no light and may even absorb it.
       The problem with reflective paint is that it relies on the difference in refractive indices between glass and air, so it can’t be placed in water. Glass beads are pretty cheap, so it’s hard to find cheaper paint.