LED Highway Lighting

What are LED Highway Fixtures?

LED highway roadway lighting encompasses comprehensive illumination systems for overpasses, underpasses, interchanges, exits, and merge lanes. Modern LED fixtures dramatically improve nighttime driving safety while delivering exceptional energy efficiency and long-term reliability. After 17 years working with highway authorities and transportation departments, we've found that proper LED highway lighting reduces accidents and creates safer travel conditions for millions of drivers.

What are the Different Types of LED Highway Lighting We Offer?

Highway applications require specialized fixtures designed for high-performance roadway environments. LED street lighting fixtures handle standard roadway sections, while interchange high mast lights cover complex multi-lane intersections. Pedestrian areas utilize dedicated walkway fixtures, and cobra head street lighting provides traditional pole-mounted illumination. Overpass installations demand specialized mounting solutions. LED Lighting Supply excels in designing interchange high mast lighting systems that deliver uniform light distribution across multiple traffic lanes.

What are the Best LED Lighting Supply Options for:

Highway Underpass: Wall packs rated at 50-150 watts or canopies with 100-300 watt output work best for underpasses. Mounting height and required footcandle levels determine the optimal fixture selection.

Highway Construction: LED flood lights delivering 20,000+ lumens create focused illumination for work zones. Portable and permanent mounting options accommodate different project phases.

Highway Overpass: Pole-mounted streetlights with Type II or Type III distributions provide ideal coverage for elevated roadway sections.

Highway LED Tunnel Lighting: Wall-mounted or ceiling-mounted linear fixtures with IP65 ratings handle vehicle exhaust and moisture. These systems require specialized ventilation considerations and corrosion-resistant housings.

What are Recommended Foot Candle Readings for Highways, Freeways, and Interchanges?

High-Traffic Highways & Freeways: 0.6 to 2.0 footcandles maintain adequate visibility for sustained high-speed travel

Interchanges and Ramps: 1.0 to 2.5 footcandles accommodate complex merging patterns and directional changes

Underpasses: 1.5 to 3.0 footcandles compensate for reduced ambient light and potential visual adaptation challenges

Tunnels: 2.0 to 5.0 footcandles ensure safe navigation through extended enclosed sections

Benefits of LED Lights for Freeways, Interchanges, and Highways

Enhanced Visibility: Advanced optical systems eliminate dangerous dark spots between fixtures while providing uniform illumination across all traffic lanes. Drivers experience improved depth perception and hazard recognition without uncomfortable glare.

Longevity and Durability: Highway-grade LED fixtures operate reliably for 50,000+ hours, equivalent to over 11 years of continuous use. Robust construction withstands temperature extremes, road salt, and constant vibration from heavy traffic.

Energy Efficiency: Modern LED systems reduce energy consumption by 60-70 percent compared to legacy metal halide installations. A standard 400W metal halide fixture replacement requires only 150W LED power while producing equivalent light output.

Reduced Maintenance Costs: Solid-state LED technology eliminates expensive bucket truck maintenance calls for lamp replacements and ballast failures. Highway departments save thousands annually on labor and equipment costs with virtually maintenance-free operation.

Instant On: LEDs reach full brightness immediately upon activation, unlike HPS fixtures that require several minutes to warm up. This instant response proves critical for emergency lighting and safety applications.

Improved Light Quality: High CRI ratings above 70 enable better color recognition and hazard identification. Drivers can distinguish road markings, signs, and potential obstacles more clearly than with orange-tinted sodium lighting.

Reduced Light Pollution: Precision-engineered optics direct light exactly where needed while minimizing sky glow and light trespass. This targeted approach meets strict IES roadway standards while respecting surrounding communities.

Installation and Voltage Compatibility

Highway LED fixtures accommodate standard electrical infrastructure with 120V to 480V input capability. Built-in drivers automatically adjust to your existing voltage without additional transformers or rewiring. Most installations utilize 277V or 480V three-phase power for maximum efficiency. We typically recommend professional photometric analysis during the design phase to ensure proper fixture spacing and mounting heights meet IESNA RP-8 standards for roadway lighting.

Dimming and Smart Controls

Advanced highway LED systems integrate seamlessly with traffic management networks through 0-10V dimming protocols and wireless control options. Many projects benefit from adaptive lighting that increases illumination during peak traffic hours and reduces output during low-traffic periods. Smart sensors can detect vehicle presence and weather conditions, automatically adjusting light levels for optimal safety and energy conservation. Our experience shows that properly configured smart controls can achieve an additional 20-30 percent energy savings beyond standard LED efficiency gains.

Safety and Performance Certifications

All our fixtures carry essential certifications including DLC Premium, UL Listed, and ETL Listed approvals. These certifications ensure safety, performance, and energy efficiency while qualifying your project for utility rebates and tax incentives. DLC Premium certification guarantees the highest efficiency standards and maximum rebate eligibility.

Warranty and Warranty Support

All our lights come with at least a 5-year warranty, and all warranty support is based in the USA. We take customer support seriously, and helping you with a warranty claim is important to us. Our experienced support team understands the importance of keeping your lighting operational and will work quickly to resolve any warranty issues.

Expert Design Support and Energy Savings Analysis

LED Lighting Supply's product specialists bring decades of lighting experience to your project. Our team provides complimentary photometric analysis and custom lighting plans that ensure your specific roadway configuration meets all safety requirements. We calculate exact energy savings based on your current fixtures and electrical rates, helping you build accurate budgets and secure funding approval. Our specialists understand the complexities of interchange lighting, overpass illumination patterns, and DOT compliance requirements. This technical expertise ensures your highway LED upgrade delivers maximum safety improvements and energy cost reductions from day one.

LED Highway Lighting FAQs

What is the Typical Cost of LED Highway Lighting?

Costs vary significantly by application—underpass lights start around $200-400 each, while high mast interchange clusters can range from $2,000-8,000 per fixture depending on wattage and specifications. High-power fixtures typically range from 300W to 1000W+ for major interchanges. Contact us today to discuss your requirements. We can supply a product recommendation and quote.

What is the Best Height to Mount Highway Lights?

Standard highway lights mount at 25-35 feet for roadway illumination, while high mast applications typically range from 80-150 feet for interchange and major intersection lighting. The mounting height directly affects optic selection and spacing requirements for proper uniformity ratios.

What is the Ideal Spacing for LED Highway Lighting?

Spacing depends on mounting height, wattage, and Type III or Type V optics selection. Most highway applications achieve 3:1 to 4:1 spacing-to-height ratios for proper uniformity. We'd be happy to create a free lighting plan for you, to help you find the right answer based on IES standards.

What is the Best Optics to Use on a Highway Application?

Type V optics work best for high mast interchange lighting, providing circular distribution patterns. Standard highway applications typically use Type III optics for forward throw and roadway coverage. The optic choice depends on pole placement relative to travel lanes.

What is the Lumen Output of LED Highway High Mast Lighting?

Our high mast fixtures range from 40,000 to 125,000 lumens depending on wattage and application needs. A typical 600W LED fixture producing 80,000+ lumens easily replaces 1000W metal halide while delivering 40% energy savings. Proper optics maximize ground illumination efficiency.

What is the Best LED Color Temperature is Best for Piercing Fog?

3000K to 4000K color temperatures perform best in foggy conditions due to reduced light scattering. These warmer temperatures provide better visibility compared to 5000K options during adverse weather while maintaining adequate color recognition for safety.

When Does it Make Sense to Use Solar Lighting for a Highway?

Solar works best for remote locations where electrical infrastructure costs exceed $15,000+ per connection point. However, highway applications typically require sustained high-lumen output that challenges battery capacity during extended cloudy periods. Grid-tied LED systems usually provide more reliable performance for critical highway lighting.

Do You Have LED Retrofits to Replace Portable Lighting Systems?

Yes, our compact LED flood lights with 15° to 60° beam angles directly retrofit existing portable towers. These fixtures typically consume 60% less power than metal halide while providing equivalent or superior illumination for construction zones and temporary applications.

Are LED Fixtures Impact Resistant?

Our highway fixtures feature IK08 to IK10 impact ratings, with IK10 providing protection against 20-joule impacts. These die-cast aluminum housings with reinforced mounting systems resist vandalism and debris damage common in highway environments.

What is NAICS Code 237310 Relation to Lighting?

This code covers highway and street construction contractors who install and maintain roadway lighting systems. It includes electrical work for highway LED lighting installations and infrastructure development. For a complete reference, click here.

How Easy Is it to Install LED Lights on a Highway?

LED highway lights install as easily as traditional fixtures with standard slip-fitter mounting and tool-free electrical connections. Our fixtures feature auto-adjusting drivers that accommodate 120-277V or 347-480V without field adjustment, simplifying installation for contractors.