VOLUME 3 PART 18

STREET LIGHTING

4 Classifications and Design

Factors
4.1 Road Classification

The road classification is determined by the road/highway designers, based on factors

such as the design speed, traffic flow, location, and capacity. For the purposes of
lighting design, the road classifications are as shown in Table 4.1.

Table 4.1 Road Lighting Classifications

Road Highway Class per Part 2,
Classification Description Sections 3.3 and 3.4
Freeways
A Motorways and expressways
Expressways
B Ring roads and major urban arterial roads Major Arterials
Boulevards
Distributor roads (urban), minor urban arterials, Minor Arterials
C major urban collectors, and commercial streets
Major Collectors
Collector Distributors
Distributor roads (rural), service roads, and minor Minor Collectors
D
urban collector roads Service Roads
E Local urban access and residential roads Local Roads
F Nonvehicular Not applicable

4.2 Road Surface Classification

In addition to the type of road, the reflectivity of the road shall be taken into account
in the lighting design. Table 4.2 defines the various road surface classifications.

Table 4.2 Road Surface Classifications

Surface
Class  Description Reflectance Mode
Concrete road surface or asphalt road surface with a
R1 0.1 minimum of 12% of aggregates composed of artificial Mostly diffuse
brightener.
Asphalt road surface with an aggregate composed of a
Mixed (diffuse and
R2 1 minimum 60% gravel with a size greater than 1 cm and with specular)
10 to 15% artificial brightener in asphalt mix.
Asphalt road surface with dark aggregates or with a rough Slightly specular
R3 0.07
texture after some months of use (typical highways).
R4 0.08 Asphalt road surface with very smooth texture. Mostly specular

VOLUME 3 PAGE 9
FINAL DRAFT SEPTEMBER 2014
VOLUME 3 PART 18
STREET LIGHTING

It is the designers’ responsibility to liaise with their own highway design teams, and
Ashghal as required, to ensure that the correct road surface classification is adopted
for each element of the lighting design works.

4.3 Maintenance Factor

The maintenance factor is a key element of any lighting design. It is primarily based on
three factors:

x IP rating of the luminaire

x Depreciation of the light output over a given period of time
x Pollution category
x Cleaning and lamp replacement intervals

Irrespective of road type, the maintenance regime and IP rating of the equipment will
be the same. The only change to this would be for the lighting within structures where
luminaires are more prone to dust ingress. Table 4.3 lists the maintenance factors to
adopt. The maintenance factors denoted below shall be adopted unless advised
otherwise by Ashghal Roads Operation & Maintenance Department.

Table 4.3 Maintenance Factors for Lighting Types

Luminaire Location Maintenance Factor
Conventional column lighting 0.70
Underbridge/underpass lighting 0.70
High-mast lighting 0.80

4.4 Luminaire Inclination

Luminaire inclination, or tilt, should be no greater than 5 degrees. Lighting designs

requiring limited use of a bracket resulting in luminaire inclinations greater than
5 degrees may be accepted, subject to written approval from the Head of Street
Lighting within Asset Affairs, Roads Operation & Maintenance Department.

PAGE 10 VOLUME 3
FINAL DRAFT SEPTEMBER 2014
 VOLUME 3 PART 18
STREET LIGHTING

5 Lighting Design
5.1 General

This section deals specifically with the lighting levels to be adopted for the lighting of
roads, underbridges, underpasses, tunnels, pedestrian walkways, and bike paths.

There are also design levels to be adopted for conflict areas where an increased
lighting level is required for the safety of motorists and to enhance the contrast
between pedestrians and the background.

Conflict areas are defined in BS 5489 as “typically junctions, intersections,

roundabouts and pedestrian crossings, where significant streams of motorized traffic
intersect with each other, or, with other road users such as pedestrians and cyclists”
(BS 5489-1).

5.2 Lighting Level for Various Road Classifications

Table 5.1 identifies the minimum performance requirements for the various road
classifications (see Table 4.1).

Table 5.1 Lighting Levels for Road Classification Types

Maintained Maximum
Average Overall Longitudina Threshold
Road Luminance, Lave Uniformity l Uniformity Increment, TI Surround
Classification (candelas/m²) Ratio, Uo Ratio, Ul (%) Ratio, SR
A 2.5 0.4 0.7 10 0.5
B 2 0.4 0.7 10 0.5
C 2 0.4 0.7 20 0.5
D 1.25 0.4 0.5 20 0.5
E 0.75 0.4 0.5 30 0.5
F Measured in Illuminance. Refer to Section 5.2.7, in this part.

VOLUME 3 PAGE 11
FINAL DRAFT SEPTEMBER 2014
VOLUME 3 PART 18
STREET LIGHTING

5.3 Roundabouts and Intersections

5.3.1 Roundabouts

The lighting provided at a roundabout should enable the driver to see clearly any
traffic to the left, at the preceding entry or entries, and traffic already on the gyratory
system of the roundabout. The lighting should also enable the driver to have
adequate forward vision when on the roundabout to see traffic entering from the
right and to decide whether it is safe to proceed.

Roundabouts fall within three categories:

x Motorway or freeway intersection with distributor roads

x Distributor roads with local and residential roads
x Internal local and residential roads

Table 5.2 lists the minimum performance requirements for the various road
classifications (see Table 4.1).

Table 5.2 Roundabout Lighting Design Criteria

Road Classification Maintained Average Illuminance, Eav (lux) Overall Uniformity Ratio, Uo
A 50 0.4
B 30 0.4
C 30 0.4
D 20 0.4
E 20 0.4
F Not applicable Not applicable

Lighting levels for conflict areas are directly linked to the lighting of the approach
road. Where the approach roads to the conflict area (see Section 5.1, in this part)
differ in classification, the highest road classification level is applicable.

For typical roundabout layouts, refer to Section 9.2, in this part.

5.3.2 Intersections

The lighting at intersections should reveal the positions of curbs and road markings,
the direction of roads, the presence of pedestrians or obstructions, and the
movement of vehicles near the intersection. The lighting at the intersection shall be
related to the need of drivers approaching to see vehicles approaching from other
directions.

Depending on the importance of the intersection with respect to traffic flow, lighting
arrangements shall be worked out considering the lighting levels of the roads leading
to and from it. Table 5.3 presents intersection performance requirements.

PAGE 12 VOLUME 3
FINAL DRAFT SEPTEMBER 2014