Bridge lighting bright, friendly and smart
The much frequented pedestrian and bicycle bridge between the Augsburgerstraße development area and Rieser Sportpark is now open after a proper construction inspection. It is an important crossing for school children, joggers, walkers, cyclists, etc.
The previous wooden bridge had to be completely demolished. Instead, a durable steel construction was used. In order to additionally illuminate the roadway, thus increasing the sense of safety for passers-by and giving the bridge the character of a landmark, the city of Nördlingen decided to install handrail lighting.
The "Lilly SAFE asymmetric" system from the manufacturer LUX GLENDER was used. The use of handrail lighting on the bridge made sense for several reasons.
The bridge is 25 metres long. It is a legal requirement to ensure sufficient lighting over the entire length. With a width of 3.70 metres, there is not enough space to use a luminaire mast. It also becomes an unnecessary tripping hazard.
A handrail on the bridge is also required by law. The combination of these two elements is an intelligent solution that makes efficient use of space, makes the path safe and, incidentally, creates a real eye-catcher. There are hardly any additional costs, as the two elements are needed anyway.
The LED handrail system from LUX GLENDER "SAFE asymmetrical" with the Lilly handrail (⌀42.4mm) was chosen for the design.
In terms of accessibility, both an elderly person and a child must be able to grasp the handrail with their hand. For this, the Lilly handrail fits perfectly according to DIN 18040. Because a lot of pedestrians can be expected on a public bridge, preventive protection against vandalism makes sense. The system provides for a - visually invisible - securing of the cover in the groove. In the event of maintenance or servicing, the experts can access the LED technology without destroying the cover. After the inspection, it can be closed again.
The handrail was welded to the bracket at the side, at the base of the groove. The groove remained completely free. By clipping in the cover, an almost uninterrupted line of light was created. Only at the joints at 6-metre intervals was the cover connected with the special intermediate fasteners. On the one hand, the recess under the fasteners provides a possibility for thermal expansion. On the other hand, it protects against insects flying in.
In order to ensure excellent illumination of the wide paths, the city of Nördlingen decided to use the asymmetrical cover. The plastic cover is equipped with a special lens that directs the light distribution in one direction, while the other side hardly emits any light. This means that vehicles driving under the bridge are not dazzled by the lighting.
The residents of Nördlingen who use the bridge are very satisfied. When passing the bridge, one is not blinded by the light because the light spot height is below the eyes. The nocturnal animals, birds, insects and bats are also grateful. The light does not shine upwards, but only illuminates the path. So they can enjoy the sky and the flora and fauna outside the bridge all to themselves. The warm white light colour of 3000K with a low blue light component also favours the life of the nocturnal species.
The maintenance and cleaning of an LED handrail is very simple and does not require any long-term planning. No lift truck or other equipment is needed. There is no need to close the road under the bridge, as there is no risk of vehicles being damaged by falling objects. At an easily accessible height, the cover is removed with special tools. The object is targeted and sealed again.
Especially with bridges, it is important that the LED technology is well planned and coordinated.
The city has rightly chosen the high-quality stainless steel profiles of material grade V4A. The LUX GLENDER profiles are manufactured in Germany and Austria under strict quality standards of the alloy and the manufacturing process. This is confirmed by the acceptance test certificate. It is of great importance to use high-quality material for the construction objects that are exposed to exhaust fumes, demanding weather conditions or other stresses. This way, the handrail will not rust and will serve well for a long time. The quality and preparation of the LED technology should also not be neglected. Especially with bridges, it is important that the LED technology is well planned and coordinated. The bridges are usually relatively long and movable. The ribbon can tear without appropriate cable bridges. The feed points and the maximum length of each individual ribbon must also be determined in advance. Thus, a cable harness was prepared for the project. Each individual partial length of LED tape was cast to size, and all cable bridges were made. For the cable routing, the support profiles provided for this purpose were used, which greatly simplified the whole complexity.
After the thorough preparation, a close exchange with the construction company Hans Fuchs, Mühlbauer Stahl und Metallbau GmbH, LUX GLENDER GmbH and the city of Nördlingen, the construction project was carried out, and the city of Nördlingen can now show off its bridge and be downright proud of the result.
