LIGHTING OF TUNNEL

Dominion, Volume 27, Issue 38, 8 November 1933, Page 4

LIGHTING OF TUNNEL

Statement by Expert

Commenting on complaints of inadequate lighting of the Hataitai traffic tunnel at the recent meeting of the Wellington Automobile Club, the assistant manager and distribution engineer to the City Electric Light Department, Mr. George Lauchlan, stated:—“No ordinary form of electric lighting can in any way approach the brilliance of sunlight, so that when a motorist approaches the tunnel on a bright sunny day, making the transition in a split second from golden sunlight to an electrically-lighted tunnel, the change is so great that he for nearly a minute is rather put out, and actually believes that the Hataitai traffic tunnel is poorly lighted. That impression is gained in the day-time only, more especially during the time that the eyes are becoming used to the light that is new and much less brilliant than the exterior sunlight -“Few people know,” added Mr. Lauchlan, “that there are twice as many lamps burning in the tunnel during the day-time than of an evening. The reason for that is quite obvious. Supposing you drive into the tunnel on a very dark night; it seems to be very well lighted, yet there are only half as many lamps burning as there are in the daylight hours. Even if an increase in the lighting power were made it would be almost inappreciable to the motorist for the reasons stated.”