LIGHTING PROJECT FOR PEDESTRIAN CROSSINGS

Lighting design is a complex process that requires designers to know various aspects, such as architecture, ergonomics, psychology, as well as technology and electrics. Nowadays, lighting is not only functional, but also an important aesthetic element. Therefore, proper lighting design is a key element of a successful project.

Designing pedestrian crossing lighting is a special branch of street lighting. It is a process that aims to ensure the safety of pedestrians crossing the road and the comfort of vision for drivers.

The basis for the design of pedestrian crossing lighting is the PN-EN 13201 street lighting standard. Detailed recommendations can be found in the guidelines developed by the Ministry of Infrastructure on the organization of safe pedestrian traffic.

ODetermining the basic lighting requirements begins with the analysis of the need to illuminate the pedestrian crossing:

• Analysis of the type of area through which the analyzed road runs (buildings, lighting)
• Accident risk analysis
• Economic analysis
• Technical feasibility analysis

The basic required lighting parameters for pedestrian crossings are determined on the basis of an analysis of the street lighting class. Below we present the dependences of the pedestrian crossing lighting class on the street lighting class - these are reference dependencies that we can lower or overestimate depending on the analysis carried out.

Designing pedestrian crossings is primarily to improve pedestrian safety, therefore a properly designed pedestrian crossing takes into account many calculation planes located at different reference levels. The lighting of the passage focuses on the road lane, but it should also take into account the waiting zones.

A luminaire dedicated to illuminate a pedestrian crossing, apart from meeting the design requirements, has to meet the basic functional requirements.

Basic functional requirements:

• Luminaire luminous efficiency [lm/W] – – a parameter responsible for electricity consumption depending on the amount of light emitted by the luminaire. The current minimum requirement is 130lm/W.
• Optics dedicated to the illumination of pedestrian crossings – with dedicated lighting solutions for pedestrian crossings, double asymmetric optics are used. The indicated light distribution is designed to create a positive contrast of pedestrian luminance on the road and significantly improve its visibility.
• Light color – the choice of light color depends to a large extent on the color of the road lighting. It is recommended to create an additional color distinction of the pedestrian crossing by using different colors of light on the road and on the crossing. The ratio of the lighting color on the road and the crossing should be 1:2.
• Uniformity of design with street luminaires –this is a parameter that mainly affects the aesthetics of the look of the street, but it is worth taking it into account when planning a comprehensive investment.
• Painting the luminaire – a common practice is to paint the luminaire and the pole in yellow color to visually distinguish the pedestrian crossing during the day.

In addition, it is worth paying attention to the proper execution of the luminaire. Its high quality will contribute to long and trouble-free operation:

• Material – for street lighting, it is important that the housing of the luminaire is made of high-pressure aluminum casting and protected against corrosion. The LED module should be protected with tempered glass with a high degree of resistance to mechanical damage, min. IK08.
• Luminaire tightness – for street luminaires, the IP66 degree of protection and a breathing filter are recommended (prevents moisture condensation inside the luminaire).
• Lifetime of the luminaire – a parameter specifying how long it is guaranteed to maintain the appropriate level of lighting on the pedestrian crossing.
• Warranty of the luminaire and availability of spare parts –the origin of the luminaire is also an important aspect. In the case of domestic production, the warranty and servicing of the luminaire is greatly simplified.