Roadway illumination allows motorists and pedestrians to identify potential risks which might otherwise be difficult to detect on an unlit portion of roadway. Ample lighting should be provided for the safety of both motorists and pedestrians. The type of lighting required should be determined and specified in the design process. The two basic types of roadway lighting systems are continuous lighting and safety lighting:

Continuous Lighting is a system that provides relatively uniform lighting on main lanes, direct connections, ramp terminals, and complete interchanges. Frontage roads are not normally continuously illuminated by TxDOT.
Safety Lighting is typically installed at an interchange, highway intersection, rural freeway ramps or other decision-making point or points of nighttime risks. Safety lighting may be used to the extent necessary to provide for safety enhancement and the orderly movement of traffic.

Refer to TxDOT’s , the , , TxDOT’s Chapter 4 Section 9, ,

, and TxDOT standards for additional information and guidance on the design of illumination.