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

  • Highway 99 revisited
    May 2, 2024
    The effects of Covid are still being felt. David Arminas considers how the pandemic has affected toll revenue on Seattle’s newish SR99 tunnel – and looks at the traffic management and emergency plans in place for drivers
    Read More
  • Bridging the highway travel information gap
    March 14, 2012
    A new traffic management solution is attempting to bridge the gap in information available on freeways and arterial roadways. Andrew Bardin Williams reports. Agencies responsible for national networks of roads around the world have the ability to measure, analyse and disseminate accurate travel information to drivers. Millions of dollars go into data collection infrastructure to collect traffic congestion and travel time information on major freeways or highways. For example, a driver on the I-210 in the Lo
    Read More
  • Innovia & The Ray feel the pulse
    March 15, 2022
    Getting drivers to slow down and space themselves safely on the road is a problem – but a collaboration between Innovia Technology and The Ray may have found a new way to do it
    Read More
  • Low-carbon mobility, one village at a time
    July 15, 2024
    Shantha Bloemen of Mobility for Africa, winner of this year's Movmi Empower Women in Shared Mobility Award, talks to Beate Kubitz about creative and practical solutions for transportation in the world’s rural areas – and why investment is still needed
    Read More

Highlighted Content