IES RP-8-21 PDF

This Recommended Practice is a compilation of lighting design techniques and criteria, all offered for quality roadway lighting solutions. Each chapter should not be taken in isolation but used as a whole for quality lighting design for roadways and other environments where vehicles are present, such as tunnels, intersections, and parking lots.

A lighting designer will often simplify the design criteria to lighting level and uniformity. However, impacts on visual quality go beyond these simple criteria and encompass minimizing glare and providing spectral contrast on pedestrians, hazards, and other vehicles. All design criteria are important in order to achieve these goals:

1. Improve motorist visual quality
2. Provide quality light and increased contrast for seeing hazards
3. Illuminate conflict areas
4. Minimize environmental impacts of light at night
5. Employ lighting systems that are easily maintained and minimize energy use

This document was prepared with the objective of providing lighting design guidance for most kinds of roadway and roadway-related applications. The recommendations contained in this document, however, may not reflect specific local factors or situations that are not typical and require special treatment. The contents of this Standard are based upon consensus of roadway lighting experts. It has no legislative authority unless adopted by an authority having jurisdiction. This Recommended Practice is not intended to establish a basis for civil liability.

This document is intended to be a single source of reference for roadway lighting; however, additional documents such as electric codes, transportation design guides and other codes and standards are often required design references.