LED-illuminated traffic signs for "zebra crossings"
Civil engineering office starts pilot test at the pedestrian crossing on the corner of Bernhardstraße and Rudolfstraße in the Rudolfschule area
In the city of Chemnitz, 21 pedestrian crossings, colloquially known as "zebra crossings", are currently operated by the Civil Engineering Department. In many cases, they represent a convenient, safe and economical alternative to traffic lights and simple crossing aids without pedestrian priority, such as centre islands. There is a pedestrian crossing on the corner of Bernhardstraße and Rudolfstraße near the Rudolfschule. The Civil Engineering Department will be starting a pilot test with LED-illuminated traffic signs here on Thursday (13 February). Installation work will begin on site from 10 am.
The pilot test will focus on traffic sign 350 of the German Road Traffic Regulations (StVO), which is used to indicate pedestrian crossings to motor vehicle traffic and is equipped with interior lighting to make it easier to recognise. A new LED technology is now being tested in the pilot trial by the Chemnitz Civil Engineering Office with the aim of further optimising the illumination of the crossing and the visibility of pedestrians.
By using LED light sources with white light instead of conventional sodium vapour discharge lamps with yellowish light, the experts from the traffic guidance and traffic regulation department at the Civil Engineering Office expect that the higher colour rendering capability of LEDs will increase the visibility of objects and people.
Another argument in favour of the new technical variant is its energy and environmental friendliness: the low power consumption associated with the use of LEDs and reduced maintenance requirements will have an impact on the resulting reduction in ongoing operating and maintenance costs.
The actual practicality of the system is now being tested at Bernhardstrasse. The main focus is on assessing the lighting effects. The traffic signs to be used with LED lighting have already been tested by the Federal Highway Research Institute and have the necessary approval. If the test results are positive, the civil engineering office plans to gradually convert to fully LED-lit traffic signs at pedestrian crossings in Chemnitz over the coming years as part of the necessary renewal measures.
The pedestrian crossing at the corner of Bernhardstraße and Rudolfstraße will be fitted with LED-lit traffic signs by the manufacturer SWARO TRAFFIC SYSTEMS GmbH as part of a pilot test and therefore free of charge for the city of Chemnitz. The pilot test is being supervised by the Traffic Control and Traffic Regulation Department of the Civil Engineering Office. In order to be able to test long-term effects, a time limit for the pilot trial has not been set for the time being.