Dutch reveal glow in the dark road.

[PA5COR]

http://www.bbc.com/news/technology-27021291

Glow in the dark road markings have been unveiled on a 500m stretch of highway in the Netherlands.
The paint contains a "photo-luminising" powder that charges up in the daytime and slowly releases a green glow at night, doing away with the need for streetlights.

Interactive artist Daan Roosegaarde teamed up with Dutch civil engineering firm Heijmans to work on the the idea.
The technology is being tested with an official launch due later this month.
It is the first time "glowing lines" technology has been piloted on the road and can be seen on the N329 in Oss, approximately 100km south east of Amsterdam.
Once the paint has absorbed daylight it can glow for up to eight hours in the dark.

Encourage innovation Speaking to the BBC last year about his plans Mr Roosegaarde said: "The government is shutting down streetlights at night to save money, energy is becoming much more important than we could have imagined 50 years ago. This road is about safety and envisaging a more self-sustainable and more interactive world."

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[AC8KF WALT]

why not use embedded plastic reflectors? placed just deep enough to escape the snowplows and works when the road is covered in rain.

[NQ6U]

why not use embedded plastic reflectors? placed just deep enough to escape the snowplows and works when the road is covered in rain.

Like they've been doing for years on high mountain passes in here California, you mean?

[K0RGR]

California also uses highly reflective paint, which works well. Here in Minnesota, I suspect somebody has absconded with that part of the highway budget. You just can't see road markings on roads that are wet, and the signs aren't readable if they have any ice on them.

[n2ize]

Aw come on... At least they should use real radium paint. What fun is it if it ain't radioactive :lol: My question is wouldn't it be just as good to use efficient reflectors ? They do that here on most of the roads without lights. When driving at night you are going to be using your headlights anyway so the reflectors are going to be very visible. Also, my town has switched over to LED street lighting. Seems like they are doing the same in most areas around here.

[PA5COR]

We use high reflective paint, cat's eyes etc, but this will light up the whole roaad even outsid your beams reach and so make the road easyer to see outside the beams.
Costs less money as well, no electricity as well to light it up.

[AC8KF WALT]

California also uses highly reflective paint, which works well. Here in Minnesota, I suspect somebody has absconded with that part of the highway budget. You just can't see road markings on roads that are wet, and the signs aren't readable if they have any ice on them.

maryland would mix glass beads into the paint for lane markers. worked until traffic wore the paint down and new or not... the rain made it invisible.

[N2NH]

maryland would mix glass beads into the paint for lane markers. worked until traffic wore the paint down and new or not... the rain made it invisible.

They did the same here, and yes, they went invisible in the rain. Also, in the city (NYC) they had reflectors embedded in the double yellow line and lane markers. But they were only visible if you used your low-beams and the rednecks here have no idea what low-beams are.

I like the idea of photo-luminescent paint on roads. Beats what's there now. Now, will it work after a cloudy day?

[KG4CGC]

Titanium dioxide infused quartz sand. So bright in the daylight that it's blinding.

[N8YX]

We need to ramp up tritium production. Visibility - it's for the children.

[NQ6U]

We need to ramp up tritium production. Visibility - it's for the three-eyed children.

Fixed that for you.

[HUGH]

I was wondering how many glow-worms it took to illuminate all these road markings.

Then there's these, the standard British "cats eye" invented decades ago and quite adept at unseating cyclists never mind the poor cat involved:

12090

[w6tmi]

Dutch reveal glow in the dark road


Well, if it glows in the dark, would it not be revealing itself? :p

[N2NH]

I was wondering how many glow-worms it took to illuminate all these road markings.

Then there's these, the standard British "cats eye" invented decades ago and quite adept at unseating cyclists never mind the poor cat involved:

12090

I knew that looked familiar. They used to have those embedded in the roadway of the Macombs Dam Bridge that I used to bike on the way to college. I did my best to stay away from them.

:shock::yes:

[n2ize]

They did the same here, and yes, they went invisible in the rain. Also, in the city (NYC) they had reflectors embedded in the double yellow line and lane markers. But they were only visible if you used your low-beams and the rednecks here have no idea what low-beams are.

I like the idea of photo-luminescent paint on roads. Beats what's there now. Now, will it work after a cloudy day?

Yeah, if they use radium. Or maybe tritium.