Smart Highway with Glowing Lines Now Live

The pilot installation of the innovative Smart Highway by artist Daan Roosegaarde and construction company Heijmans has been completed. The project is part of the ‘N329-Road of the Future’ in Oss, the Netherlands.

In this section of the road, glow in the dark lines are installed, called Glowing Lines. These lines use photo-luminescent paint to mark out the edges of the road. They collect energy during the day and turn that energy into light in the evening. Here the landscape becomes an experience of light and information. As a result, this increases visibility and it is hoped that energy savings and safety improvements will also be forthcoming.

Roosegaarde and Heijmans launched the Smart Highway concept at the Dutch Design Week for which they won a prestigious award.

As we reported here, the first viable version was installed last April. Since then, the technical development of the idea has progressed and several versions have been installed and tested for durability and user experience. This results in a complete, mature design in Oss which will allow both the public and Dutch Ministry officials to test the effects of the glowing lines, their longevity and any improvements in traffic safety. It is hoped that innovations such as these glowing lines will reduce the need for more traditional street lighting luminaires and thereby save energy and provide a more sustainable environment.

When driving in the dark Roosegaarde describes it as ‘going through a fairy tale’. You can watch the first visitors in action here. The Glowing Lines can be experienced every night on the N329 in Oss, the Netherlands.

Based on this pilot, new projects will be launched internationally. Also the Dutch Minister of Infrastructure has asked Daan Roosegaarde to make a new Smart Highway design for the ‘Afsluitdijk’, the Dutch iconic dike which is 32km long and forms the fresh water lake of the IJsselmeer.

On the 12th of November, Roosegaarde and Heijmans will launch the next Smart Highway project, the first unique Van Gogh-Roosegaarde light emitting bicycle path. This cultural spinoff is inspired by Van Gogh’s masterpiece ‘Starry Night’, and gives cyclists the opportunity to experience a modern version of this painting in an innovative landscape of light. The path is part of the historic Van Gogh route in Nuenen, the Netherlands where the artist lived from 1883 to 1885. More details can be found here.

Glowing Lines is made possible with support of the Province of Brabant, the City of Oss and BKKC.

By Julie Allen

20 Oct