Why the Airway Light Sculptures on I-10 Have Not Been Changing Colors
Have you driven on I-10 lately and noticed that the light sculptures on Airway are no longer changing colors? That's because the government agency that oversees the safety and mobility of our nation's highways thinks they could be a distraction to drivers.
According to Raymond Telles, executive director of the Camino Real Mobility Authority, the Federal Highway Administration is looking into whether the continuous switching from one color to another increases accident rates. Mr. Telles recently disclosed to one of our local television stations that the FHA "required [TxDOT] to implement [a safety test limiting] the rate of change for the lights.”
About a month ago, they experimented with the frequency of how often the lights changed to see what, if any, effect it had on motorists. The results of the four-week test are currently being evaluated, and until a determination is made, the color-changing eggbeaters will remain a constant color.