DKLighting has a significant impact on cyclists’ accessibility, flow, safety, and sense of security and is especially important for commuters as as they tend to cycle during the dark hours, which makes up rush hours for about half of the year.
Good lighting allows cyclists to orient themselves, to actually see the path ahead, and identify any conditions that need to be taken into account, such as puddles, fallen leaves, potholes, or other users of the path.
Lighting also has a significant impact on the social sense of security, especially on cycle paths in own course. In Denmark, for much of the year, the dark hours include most of the commuter hours. Good lighting during the dark hours are therefore crucially important, for example for when choosing a route or even choosing to cycle.
The following principles apply for lighting on cycle superhighways in the Cycle Superhighway Collaboration in the Capital Region:
Principles for lighting on cycle superhighways
Good lighting — in every surrounding
On cycle superhighways, there should be good lighting in all types of surroundings. This applies to cycle superhighways in urban areas, rural areas, forest areas, protected areas, as well as on bridges, and through tunnels.
Lighting on cycle superhighways should be even, consistent, and regular
Cycle superhighways should have even, uniform, and consistent lighting. This means that the lighting should be in lighting class E2+
The lighting should ensure that cyclists can see ahead — both the bicycle path and in the roadside areas.
The longitudinal lighting on the cycle superhighway should, both within and outside built environment, ensure that cyclists can navigate forward and can see any obstacles on the path or in the roadside areas.
Recommendations for lighting on cycle superhighways
On cycle superhighways it is recommended to at least follow the recommendations and regulations outlined by the Danish Road Directorate1Vejregler: Håndbog for Vejbelysning anlæg og planlægning, 2020. Link. It is always a good idea to consult with the employee responsible for lighting in the municipality before initiating the establishment or upgrade of lighting on cycle superhighways.
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Lighting at new construction or change of existing road profile
Road lighting is often established based on the existing conditions of the road geometry. As a starting point, road lighting should also be designed to cover the cycle path and sidewalk. This should be taken into account if there are changes to the road geometry in connection with the construction of a cycle superhighway. In some cases, it may be necessary to conduct a new lighting calculation and make adjustments to the lighting.
Lighting class
On cycle superhighways it is recommended to follow the Danish Road Directorate’s rules for road lighting and implement lighting class E2+2Vejregler: Håndbog for Vejbelysning anlæg og planlægning, 2020, s.49. Link. The lighting class entails demands for lighting level, shielding, glaring limitations, and consistency in lighting.
Additionally, downwards-directed lighting is preferable recommended.
The Road Directorate recommends lighting class E2 for paths, but for cycle superhighways, the recommendation is lighting class E2+. E2+ has an increased regularity of 0.25 compared to E2.
Regularity (of horisontal lighting, luminance or semi-spacious lighting in an area) is the relationship between the minimum value and the mean value in points within a grid covering an area3Vejregler: Håndbog for Vejbelysning anlæg og planlægning, 2020, s.114. Link. The increased regularity on cycle superhighways is implemented to improve the lighting across the entire area and ensure better lighting between the light fixtures.
Lighting of roadside areas
It is important to illuminate the roadside areas along a cycle superhighway. Therefore, it is recommended to include a minimum of 1.5 meters of side area on both sides of the cycle superhighway4Vejdirektoratet: Belysningsplan for statens veje, 2011. Link.
Additionally, white edge stripes can help clarify the track layout as a supplement to lighting.
Lighting fixtures and mast height
The choice of lighting fixtures and the height of the mast are important elements in ensuring good lighting.
When deciding on light fixtures it should be considered whether it is preferred that the light is distributed asymmetrically or symmetrically, depending on the geometry of the cycle superhighway.
On cycle superhighways, it is recommended to use tall masts of 4-5 meters if the cycle superhighway follows a road, and approximately 3.5 meters tall, if the route is in their own course. This allows cyclists to see further ahead.
When installing masts, it is important to be mindful of trees and other vegetation that may potentially obstruct the lighting during spring and summer.
Open land and green areas
On cycle superhighways running through open land, it is also recommended to use lighting class E2+.
If it is not possible to have lighting class E2+ due to reasons like nature conservation, then lighting class E4 can be considered. Lighting class E4 is lighting in the form of a “guiding star system, solely intended to indicate the path of a trail or similar.”5Vejregler: Håndbog for Vejbelysning anlæg og planlægning, 2020, s.21. Link.
Use of lighting in class E4 could for example be:
- Install low bollards that illuminate the entire path, although not as uniformly as with lighting class E2+.
- Dispersed guide light with for example diodes that are energized by solar cells.
These examples are beneficial in guiding the course of the path and works better when the cycle path is in its own course and away from the road.
When a cycle superhighway runs through green areas, there may be challenges with lighting that could disturb wildlife. In these cases, it is important to initiate a dialogue with nature conservation organizations to find a solution that considers wildlife while still providing cyclists with guide lighting on the cycle path. Test projects within lighting are continuously conducted to accommodate both wildlife and cyclists. Therefore, it is a good idea to explore if there are relevant projects to draw from before starting installing lighting fixtures on cycle superhighways through green areas.
The vegetation along stretches and especially leading up to intersections should be pruned to prevent shading of the lighting creating dark and unsafe areas. It is recommended to clear a free space around the path for a minimum of 50 cm from the edge of the cycle superhighway and to a clearance height of 2.5 meters. The larger the area you prune, the longer it takes for the vegetation to grow back.
Lighting in crossings on cycle superhighways
At crossings along cycle superhighways, whether they have the same surface level as roads or pathways, special attention should be given to ensuring adequate lighting to enable cyclists to navigate safely and remain visible to other road users.
Lighting in tunnels
On cycle superhighways, path tunnels should always be illuminated at night, even if the path leading to the tunnel is not lit. It is also recommended to install lighting on both sides of the tunnel to enhance safety.
Additionally, it is recommended to illuminate tunnels on cycle superhighways during the day to ensure a smooth transition between light and dark when entering and exiting the tunnel.
According to the Danish Road Directorate6Vejregler: Håndbog for Vejbelysning anlæg og planlægning, 2020, s. 59. Link it is particurarely important that lighting is installed in a tunnel if:
- The tunnel’s lenght is longer than:
10 x √opening area - The opening of the path tunnel is low in relation to its surroundings.
- There is dense vegetation or tall buildings surrounding the opening, causing the opening area to appear smaller from a distance, even though the aforementioned length-to-opening ratio is met.
- The path tunnel is designed (for example with curvature or bends) in a way that does not allow sufficient daylight, even though the length is shorter than the aforementioned guidance.
In tunnels, lighting fixtures should be placed where the minimum height becomes less than 2.2 meters.
The lighting in the tunnel can be optimized by having the tunnel walls in light colors.
In the Cycle Superhighway Collaboration in the Capital Region, a concept for tunnel lighting on cycle superhighways has been developed. It consists of intelligent lighting that adjusts to the time of day, ensuring optimal lighting in the tunnel at all times. The lighting adapts to the light outside the tunnel, aiming to reduce the feeling of being blinded when entering the tunnel from bright daylight and vice versa, ensuring optimal lighting when it’s dark. Additionally, the concept includes a visual element with orange light wheels that can rotate when a cyclist enters the tunnel. These orange light wheels contribute to the visual identity of the cycle superhighways and can help with ensuring coherency and recognition.
Lighting on bridges and footbridges
On cycle superhighways it is recommended to follow the Road Directyorate’s recommendation: Bridges should be illuminated with the same lighting class as the adjacent roads and paths. Additionally, a bridge and its associated ramp sections, where there is access for cars, bicycles, and pedestrians, should be illuminated if it is more than 60 meters long. This applies regardless of whether the road is otherwise illuminated7Vejregler: Håndbog for Vejbelysning anlæg og planlægning, 2020, s. 58. Link.
If the bridge is a path bridge only, there should always be lighting in lighting class E2+. If the bridge crosses over water, it is important that the lighting is designed to minimize incidence of light on the water.
Tip: Create a comprehensive lighting plan
It is a good idea to draw up an overall plan for lighting on the cycle superhighway, including consideration of special focal points on the route.
It may also be a good idea to coordinate the expression of the lighting across the municipalities on the route to ensure consistency on the cycle superhighway.
