Washington State testing Astucia SolarLite road studs

This weekend, Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) maintenance crews plan to install Astucia SolarLite solar-powered road studs as part of a test project on the centerline of a stretch of SR 530 which has a history of run-off-the-road collisions.
January 31, 2012 Read time: 1 min

This weekend, 451 Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) maintenance crews plan to install 1875 Astucia SolarLite solar-powered road studs as part of a test project on the centerline of a stretch of SR 530 which has a history of run-off-the-road collisions. Depending on the results of the tests and available funding, WSDOT says it will consider investing in additional test areas on other roadway surfaces or situations.

The solar-powered LED road reflectors, from UK-headquartered Astucia, part of the 557 Clearview Traffic Group, automatically illuminate from dusk to dawn to provide ten times greater visibility for drivers than traditional retro-reflective studs which are limited by the vehicle’s headlight beam.

“We often hear from drivers who are concerned about visibility in rain and snow,” said Dave McCormick, WSDOT assistant regional administrator for maintenance and operations. “We’re excited to test this cutting-edge technology to see whether it helps improve visibility and safety for drivers. If we get good results, we will look into using the reflectors on future safety projects.”

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Secretary Foxx sends six-year transportation bill to Congress
    March 31, 2015
    Over the past year, US Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx has visited more than 100 communities and heard one common story about crumbling infrastructure and dwindling resources to fix it with. Foxx has now sent to Congress his solution to this problem: a long-term transportation bill that provides funding growth and certainty so that state and local governments can get back in the business of building things again. The Grow America Act reflects President Obama’s vision for a six-year, US$478 billion
    Read More
  • Transport planning consultation is culturally important
    February 2, 2012
    Andrew Bardin Williams explores the efforts under way in North Dakota to consult with native tribes during the early stages of transportation project development. These efforts have led to the signing of a Programmatic Agreement between the state DOT and local tribes and the creation of a tribal consultation committee that allows Native Americans to advise on the identification, evaluation and treatment of historic properties, including those of religious and cultural significance
    Read More
  • Can AV mapping rely on crowds?
    June 29, 2021
    Mapping tech companies need to expand their data inputs beyond crowdsourcing in order to maintain temporally accurate maps at scale, says Ro Gupta at Carmera
    Read More
  • Copenhagen to showcase ITS in action at ITSWC 2018
    December 18, 2017
    As delegates head for the 2017 ITS World Congress in Montreal, we talk to Copenhagen mayor Morten Kabell about why his city is the ideal location for next year’s event. It may have been a long time coming but the ITS World Congress will be in Copenhagen in 2018 and there can be few more fitting places to host the event. By any number of metrics - interconnected transport, cycle commuting, safer streets, reduced pollution, sustainable energy and quality of life - the Danish capital has implemented what m
    Read More

Highlighted Content