Innovative technology

Why the highway tunnels have a completely new light

All tunnels on Austrian freeways are being modernized.(Bild: Asfinag)

Many drivers on the Carinthian highways are currently wondering about the unusual brightness in the tunnels. The "Krone" asked Asfinag what the new technology is all about.

A completely unfamiliar sight for many drivers: when entering a freeway tunnel on the Südautobahn, the portal shines particularly brightly and then diminishes significantly towards the middle of the tunnel. "But this has always been the case," explains Walter Močnik, press spokesman for Asfinag: "Perhaps it is particularly noticeable at the moment, as we have already converted some tunnels to LED lighting."

More safety thanks to new light
And this changeover will also significantly increase road safety. "In Austria, it is mandatory that the entrance lighting in a tunnel must be significantly brighter so that the human eye can better acclimatize to the lighting conditions in the tunnel," said Močnik in an interview with "Krone". This is why considerably more lights with a significantly higher output are installed in the area of a tunnel portal.

Especially in the summer months, the light appears much brighter, as it is also much brighter outside a tunnel.

Walter Močnik, Pressesprecher der Asfinag

By switching to LED lights, Asfinag is not only increasing road safety. "By converting, we can save up to 30 percent energy." And to become even more environmentally friendly, photovoltaic systems have already been installed on numerous tunnels throughout Carinthia. "They supply the electricity for the lighting and save even more energy."