High priority by highway engineers is now being assigned to the evaluation of the broad benefits of roadway lighting. This stimulus of interest is directly attributable to the international engineering emphasis on seeing factor ratings. An even more important fact is that seeing ratings also provide a base which encourages evaluation of the humanitarian, traffic, and economic benefits by the many interested agencies. The night transportation benefits of roadway lighting are also susceptible to numerical evaluation. This progress will be aided by numerical ratings for the lighting provided in such simple terms as visual comfort and visibility. In many countries throughout the world, action with respect to figures-of-merit for both the seeing and traffic benefits of roadway lighting is interrelated and gaining new impetus. Seeing ratings are internationally interchangeable and may be communicated from one portion of the world to another. Interchange of information and ratings aids human progress throughout the world. Improvement of the public welfare is an underlying thought and impelling force for economists, engineers and scientists. Everyone gains by attention to, and more extensive use of, roadway lighting.
Abstract