Ministry Policy for Roundabout Lighting

• Reference
• Purpose
• Background
• Warrants
• Design Guidelines
• Table 1 - Horizontal Illumination Requirements at Roundabouts
• Implementation

This is a new policy. This policy applies to roundabouts and roadways under Provincial jurisdiction only.

Referenced Documents:

• Illuminating Engineering Society of North America Design Guide for Roundabout Lighting, DG-19-08
• Ministry Policy for Highway Illumination B-05
• MTO Electrical Engineering Manual Volume 1, Electrical Design
• MTO Geometric Design Standards Manual

The purpose of this policy is to establish warrants and design guidelines for lighting roundabouts.

• The purpose of lighting roundabouts is to improve the safety and operation of the roundabouts at night.
• Lighting a roundabout improves safety by aiding drivers at night in navigating the roundabout and identifying vehicles, cyclists, pedestrians and features ( e.g. raised splitter islands ) within the roundabout.
• Lighting is particularly helpful at a roundabout because the tight curvature of the roundabout creates a situation where the driver is looking to the left of the direction that the vehicle headlights are illuminating. If the roundabout is not lighted, the driver would be looking into darkness as he/she navigates the roundabout.
• Roundabouts include physical islands ( splitter islands ) that channelize traffic to the right and guide motorists into and out of the roundabout. It is critical that motorists be able to see these islands at night.
• Roundabouts are relatively new to most Ontario drivers. Therefore many drivers will initially be unfamiliar with the roadway geometry and features of roundabouts. Lighting will help drivers at night to identify and navigate the curvature and channelization at roundabouts.
• A roundabout is a form of at-grade intersection with channelization. Lighting roundabouts is consistent with the existing Ministry Policy for Highway Illumination ( Directive B-05 ), which states that lighting is warranted at intersections with traffic control signals, intersections where the traffic control signal warrant is fulfilled at least 80%, or intersections where traffic is channelized by means of physical islands.
• It is intended that this roundabout lighting policy will eventually be incorporated into the Ministry Policy for Highway Illumination ( Directive B-05 ).
• Providing lighting at roundabouts is consistent with Canadian and North American standards.

In general roundabouts are to be illuminated.

A roundabout is a form of intersection and lighting is warranted at a roundabout if the location fulfills an intersection illumination warrant under Part 4 of the Ministry Policy for Highway Illumination ( Directive B-05 ). This includes the warrants stated in the excerpt from Directive B-05 below:

4.1 Illumination for  At Grade Intersections (Non-Freeways) is also warranted:

   4.1.1    At intersections of freeways under stage development with a multi-lane divided cross-section.

• Intersections where traffic is channelized by means of physical islands.
• Intersections with Traffic Control Signals.
• Intersections with high night time collision rates (an average of three nighttime collisions per year over a three-year period with no other obvious cause).
• Intersections adjacent to existing areas of high intensity illumination (e.g., shopping centres, service stations, etc.).
• Intersections on multi lane undivided highways where the warrants for traffic signals are fulfilled at least 80 per cent.
• Where geometric standards are below recommended practices as outlined in the Geometric Design Manual.

• Roundabouts that are lighted shall be fully illuminated and in general the lighting should be according to the IESNA Design Guide for Roundabout Lighting ( DG-19-08 ).
• Roundabout illumination shall be according to the horizontal illumination requirements in Table 1.
• Marked pedestrian crossings within roundabouts shall be illuminated and the vertical illuminance at the crosswalks should be equal to the required horizontal illuminance. Lighting should be placed around the perimeter of the roundabout at locations on the approach side of the crosswalks.
• If continuous roadway lighting is not present on the approaches then transition lighting should be provided for drivers’ adaptation and should extend for a distance of approximately 80 metres or greater from the roundabout on each approach.

The roadway and pedestrian area definitions are according to the IES Design Guide for Roundabout Lighting ( DG-19 ). Brief descriptions of the roadway definitions, and the corresponding MTO roadway classifications, are provided in Appendix 1.

This policy is effective immediately.

Appendix 1

Roadway Definitions

The roadway definitions that apply in this policy are briefly described below. Additional information regarding roadway definitions and highway classifications is contained in the IES Design Guide for Roundabout Lighting ( DG-19 ), the Electrical Engineering Manual Volume 1, and the MTO Geometric Design Standards Manual.

Roadway Definitions:

Major Roadway/Arterial: That part of the roadway system which serves as the principal network for through-traffic flow.  The corresponding MTO highway classification would typically be Class III or IV.

Collector Roadway: The roadways servicing traffic between major and local roads. The corresponding MTO highway classification would typically be Class V.

Local Roadways: Roadways used primarily for direct access to residential, commercial, industrial, or other abutting property. The corresponding MTO highway classification would typically be Class V.