10-24-2016, 10:36 AM
The conversation about visibility on the Cycling thread reminds me of an open question that comes up this time of year:
Why are there streetlights on highways?
There are obvious reasons for streetlights on city streets (pedestrians, cyclists, wayfinding)... but those reasons are all absent on highways (so long as the signs are lit or reflective). The recent widening of the parkway east of Fischer-Hallman was accompanied by the hoisting up of arrays of over-tall, over-powered light arrays that seemed to have absolutely no aesthetic consideration paid to them.
Ultimately I expect the answer is "Because the MTO says so in the HTA," but I'd like to know if there's a non-"because I said so" justification.
Why are there streetlights on highways?
There are obvious reasons for streetlights on city streets (pedestrians, cyclists, wayfinding)... but those reasons are all absent on highways (so long as the signs are lit or reflective). The recent widening of the parkway east of Fischer-Hallman was accompanied by the hoisting up of arrays of over-tall, over-powered light arrays that seemed to have absolutely no aesthetic consideration paid to them.
Ultimately I expect the answer is "Because the MTO says so in the HTA," but I'd like to know if there's a non-"because I said so" justification.