A Bike Path That Lights Itself Up At Night

What’s the Latest Development?

UK-based Pro-Teq Surfacing is currently making bike and foot travel a lot easier for visitors to a Cambridge park: They have coated 460 feet of pathway with a prototype “solar-enhanced liquid and aggregate” called Starpath, which absorbs ultraviolet rays during the day and releases them at night in such a way as to make the path literally glow in the dark. It’s even smart enough to change its brightness as needed. Because it’s designed to be used with existing pathways, the installation only took four hours.

What’s the Big Idea?

In addition to increasing safety and visibility for cyclists and pedestrians, Starpath is being touted as a cheaper, easier, and more energy-efficient way for cities and towns to illuminate the night. According to Pro-Teq, paths treated with the material also have reduced slip and the glow emitted doesn’t produce any distracting glare, which means that “if this product were to be laid on a driveway in a private residence [for example], there would be no adverse impact on neighbouring properties.” 

Photo Credit: Shutterstock.com

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