The researchers at Polish construction company TPA Instytut Badan Technicznych in Pruszkow built the unique bike path by incorporating luminophore. This synthetic material lights up in bright blue when charged by sunlight. The company admitted to being inspired by the Starry Night bike path we mentioned above. Dutch artist Daan Roosegaarde created it in Nuenen, a city approximately 100 km south of Amsterdam. But while his creation needs solar panels for power, the Polish one needs no such thing.
“The material we used for the track gives light for over ten hours. That means the road can radiate throughout the whole night and reaccumulate light the following day,” says TPA president Igor Ruttmar.
The bike lane is thus completely self-sufficient. Plus it can emit light in a variety of colours. The designers chose blue because it went well with the surroundings in the Polish town. The product is still in the testing phase, but it seems we have a new way of improving safety of people riding at night. Would you want it in your town?
