Ways Solar Lighting Can Enhance Bike Paths
Solar lighting is an economical way for cities to enhance many different areas including walking paths, car parks and bike paths. There are many advantages to the use of solar lighting for these applications. We are going to take a closer look at those advantages including theft-resistance, safety and saving money.
Light Design that is Theft Resistant
When lighting is installed in areas that are not very busy, theft can occur. In traditional lighting systems, copper is used, and vandals can steal this material and destroy the lighting system. The constant replacement of wiring can become prohibitively expensive, but solar lighting systems do not lend themselves to vandalism or theft because they do not contain valuable materials such as copper. The wiring in these systems is concealed inside of the light bollard and the batteries which store solar energy are located at the top of the pole which cannot be easily reached by vandals or thieves. The poles are galvanized and powder-coated and cannot be climbed or damaged. The result is that the poles will remain in place, providing light as they were intended to do.
Reduction of Danger Through the Provision of Light
When a path is not properly lit, it is not easy to see the dips and bumps in it. Most bike paths are not well lit and Signage in the local area may state that biking should not be done after dark, but many cyclists will ignore those signs. A large number of fatal bike accidents take place after the sun has set and in areas where there is no proper lighting. Solar lighting provides the necessary lighting to keep trails and areas lit sufficiently to keep cyclists safe while they utilize these paths and trails. Cycling paths that are lit up can be utilized all year round including during the winter months when there is less light. When paths are lit and cyclists can see the way, there is much less opportunity for them to experience serious accidents and become injured in the process.
Cycling Trails and Paths are Often Remote
Many bike paths and trails are not near power sources and adding traditional lighting will pose a large expense. It can be costly to dig the trenching to add wiring for several kilometers of the path since digging trenching for hundreds of meters is thousands of dollars. Solar bollards can be installed in any location and do not require any wiring for their installation. Although the solar bollard units may be a bit expensive to purchase, they are able to be easily installed without much expense including no need for trenching or wiring. Traditional wired lighting can experience connectivity issues, causing all the lights to go out as they are normally wired in a circuit.
Solar Lighting can be less Invasive than Traditional Lighting
In certain areas that are environmentally sensitive, lighting can pose concerns since lighting should not be imposed at all hours of the night. On cycling paths, that lighting can be programmed so that it does not disturb the wildlife in the area. Solar lighting can be controlled in any way that is needed with adjustments for full brightness between certain hours and then having the lights off once the park has been closed or just dimmed to a lower level. The lighting can be programmed and controlled in any way necessary to ensure it is not invasive.
No Trenching Required
When no trenching is required 100% of the grounds can be conserved. How many times have you seen parklands being destroyed with trenching so that lights can be installed? This is completely unnecessary with solar lighting since no wiring is required and each light bollard can stand on its own. Each lighting unit is self-contained and has minimal impact on the environment around it. Solar lighting does not contain any hazardous materials and many solar units are manufactured with more efficient lighting materials.
If your local area has biking paths or parks that require some lighting but there is a specified budget, solar bollards are an ideal solution to this and ensure that lighting is provided in areas that are not close to the electrical grid. When money and energy can both be saved, everyone wins. Cyclists can ride at any time of the day or night that they desire while staying safe and the community does not need to spend excessive amounts of money having lighting installed.
Originally published on: https://openwheelers.com.au/ways-solar-lighting-can-enhance-bike-paths/