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Hwy Lighting Is Terrible

Posted: Jan 21st, 2013, 9:40 pm
by Hmmm
It may have a thread going already, I did check, but I have to say, the lighting in West Kelowna hwy 97 is almost non existent. just drove through there this evening and could barley see the road. The dividing lines are bad and there are no reflectors in the lanes either. I have 20/20 vision too and could barley see the center, cement divider.

Maybe this is a cause of some accidents there. Also, the lighting that is there is weak and does a poor job of illuminating the road. Am I alone here or what?

Re: Hwy Lighting Is Terrible

Posted: Jan 21st, 2013, 9:53 pm
by zzontar
I agree 100%. Besides the intersection at Boucherie, the whole stretch from the new overpass to Westlake rd is horrible and has also been a complaint of many people I know. It's horrible how many times I've heard them say they were happy a vehicle was ahead of them so they could just follow the tail lights, and more horrible that I could relate, and I have 20/20 vision as well. Too bad all that money had to be spent fixing the overpass when a fraction of that could have been spent on street lamps for that stretch.

Re: Hwy Lighting Is Terrible

Posted: Jan 21st, 2013, 9:59 pm
by Always Sunny
How ever do people drive on unlit highways?

Properly aimed, clean headlights also work wonders.

Re: Hwy Lighting Is Terrible

Posted: Jan 21st, 2013, 10:02 pm
by zzontar
Always Sunny wrote:How ever do people drive on unlit highways?

Properly aimed, clean headlights also work wonders.


Of course that helps, but that's the only stretch of highway I find that is like that, especially in a car low enough that you can't see the oncoming lights which helps you determine where the wall is easier.

Re: Hwy Lighting Is Terrible

Posted: Jan 21st, 2013, 11:31 pm
by Relentless
I agree, very poor lighting, add that to all of the fast moving headlights of all different frequencies, and it's a mess!
Spend $180,000,000.00 on a new rough concrete bridge, and can't have proper lighting or road markings worth anything!
Reflective road markers for lanes should have been automatic, and a couple more light standards.

Re: Hwy Lighting Is Terrible

Posted: Jan 22nd, 2013, 12:10 am
by kay-c
Lights are actually quite expensive. The average citizen couldn't afford 1 of them.

Re: Hwy Lighting Is Terrible

Posted: Jan 22nd, 2013, 8:52 am
by mexi cali
It's much worse when it rains. The lane markings seem to disappear.

Re: Hwy Lighting Is Terrible

Posted: Jan 22nd, 2013, 8:59 am
by Fancy
Lighting doesn't seem to be the issue for the last few accidents but do wish there was more illumination.

Re: Hwy Lighting Is Terrible

Posted: Jan 22nd, 2013, 9:07 am
by zzontar
kay-c wrote:Lights are actually quite expensive. The average citizen couldn't afford 1 of them.


A busy stretch of road that's horrible for visibility with an 80 km/hr speed limit should have precedence over a lightly used road that's 50km/hr for lighting. As far as the price, I guess people on the westside must pay much lower taxes seeing as areas like Lakeview have no streetlights besides at intersections.

Re: Hwy Lighting Is Terrible

Posted: Jan 22nd, 2013, 9:36 am
by John500
This is not just a Westside issue. Its the same problem everywhere you drive. There are a number of things that can be done. Even with weather we have. But I guesss the government advertising who well they do (to get re-elected) is a higher priority then road safety.

Re: Hwy Lighting Is Terrible

Posted: Jan 22nd, 2013, 11:11 am
by kay-c
The lights are right there on the front on the bumper. There is such thing as light pollution , kiss seeing the stars good bye.

Re: Hwy Lighting Is Terrible

Posted: Jan 22nd, 2013, 11:23 am
by ogopogo90
This is what we need to start implementing in BC!

Re: Hwy Lighting Is Terrible

Posted: Jan 22nd, 2013, 7:51 pm
by youhavegottobekidding
I really like those reflective markers on the hiway, they make a huge difference BUT I would imagine the snow plows would make short work of them.I can't imagine a glue strong enough to withold that???

Re: Hwy Lighting Is Terrible

Posted: Jan 22nd, 2013, 9:32 pm
by Glacier
youhavegottobekidding wrote:I really like those reflective markers on the hiway, they make a huge difference BUT I would imagine the snow plows would make short work of them.I can't imagine a glue strong enough to withold that???

Not to mention the salt would destroy the electrical wires...

Westside is a prime example of why I have always said that separating the lanes in the beginning saves money and lives in the long run. Anywhere else in the Western world would do so, but not here in BC. We four lane highways instead of twin them just to save a few bucks right now. The same lighting issue exists between Vernon and Kelowna (and the various 4-lane sections all across the province the government loves to brag about building).

Down on the Lower Mainland, the government of the day had the forethought to build the lanes separated so that oncoming highlights aren't blinding. Trying to widen the distance between the lanes after the city has grown up around the highway becomes exceedingly expensive, but because the government would rather future governments worry about such problems they don't seem to care about such things.

Re: Hwy Lighting Is Terrible

Posted: Jan 22nd, 2013, 9:48 pm
by oneh2obabe
Swareflex http://www.swareflex.com/, a division of Swarovski, specializes in traffic solutions - their in-road markers are snow-plow and salt resistant. As well as in-road markers, they have concrete barrier markers, temporary road studs, guard rail reflectors and more.

http://www.swareflex.com/index.php/ts-h ... eflex-road