Smart Highway

New glow-in-the-dark road markings on a highway stretch in the Netherlands have been faded out as the strips were not water-resistant enough to survive large amounts of moisture.

The pilot project was launched earlier this month to replace the standard streetlights on a 500m-long stretch of the N329 highway in Oss, the Netherlands.

European construction frim Heijmans, which is running the pilot with Dutch design firm Studio Roosegaarde, told the BBC that the road markings were sensitive to large amounts of moisture due to heavy rains, and were not emitting a consistent level of light.

In a statement, Heijmans said the real-life trial facilitates learning from the environment and users, like humidity and user experience.

The company said it will use these insights to introduce an update to the Glowing Lines 2.0 version, which is scheduled to be ready for summer this year.

"This road is about safety and envisaging a more self-sustainable and more interactive world."

The glow-in-the-dark road markings use a photo-luminising powder that eliminates the use of extra lighting.

Introduced as an effort to save energy, the road markings are charged in daylight and release a green glow to illuminate roads for up to eight hours during the night.

Studio Roosegaarde founder Daan Roosegaarde and Heijmans Infrastructure unveiled the first prototypes of the smart highway during Dutch Design Week in October 2012.

Speaking to the BBC about the project in 2012, Roosegaarde said: "This road is about safety and envisaging a more self-sustainable and more interactive world."

Image: The new road markings are charged in daylight and release a green glow to illuminate roads for up to eight hours during the night. Photo: courtesy of Studio Roosegaarde BV.