Skip to main content

Texas A&M University's glow-in-the-dark bike line lights up cyclists

Nighttime cycling has its risks. Even with an assortment of blinking and steady lights mounted on a bicycle, the cyclist can still be hard for car drivers to see. The cyclists themselves need to be more visible.

At Texas A&M University, they have come up with another solution. A newly completed Dutch-style intersection has been given solar luminescent pavement markings to keep the pathways lit up at night. This glow-in-the-dark bike lane is the first of its kind in the United States.

Recommended Videos

This Dutch-style intersection, called a Dutch Junction, was first developed in the Netherlands and refined in other location. It’s an unsignaled intersection with four stop signs for motorized traffic. The point of its design is to move cyclists into the view of motorized vehicles and out of their blind spots. Small islands at the intersection corners separate cars and bicycles turning right. At the same time, it moves cyclists traveling straight into the view of drivers.

“The marriage of the Dutch Junction design and explicit delineation of the bike lanes, with advanced materials that are highly visible both day and night, embody the concept behind the technology initiative — to enhance the safety and mobility options across the Texas A&M University campus,” said Robert Brydia, a senior research scientist at Texas A&M Transportation Institute.

At night, the painted green path has a soft glow. “It’s not an in-your-face blinding light,” Brydia said. “It’s supposed to be softly luminescent. It’s a glow, as opposed to a vibrant display of color.”

Nearly 70,000 students, faculty, and staff travel to and from campus through this intersection. By studying carefully how people use it and surveying the community about how they feel about it, the design can be tested, refined, and implemented in other areas around campus and, hopefully, eventually the nation.

Please enable Javascript to view this content

Garrett Hulfish
Garrett is the kind of guy who tells you about all the tech you haven't heard of yet. He also knows too much about other…
Mod Bikes launches a BMW-inspired, limited-edition sidecar e-bike
MOD Easy Sidecar Sahara limited edition e-bike.

Mod Bikes has introduced the Mod Easy Sidecar Sahara, a limited-edition sidecar-style cargo e-bike modeled on the 1940s BMW R75 Sahara motorcycle. On November 9, 2024, Mod will exhibit the Sidecar Sahara at the Electrify Expo at the Circuit of the Americas racetrack in Austin, Texas.
Mod does sidecars

The BMW R 75 Sahara, which inspired the limited-edition e-bike, is a highly collectible motorcycle. Mod Bikes is one of the few e-bike manufacturers that sells e-bikes with sidecars in the U.S., along with other styles. The versatile Easy Sidecar models transform in just a few minutes from a sidecar e-bike to a standard, two-wheel e-bike. However, the sidecar configuration is fun for carrying pets, children, small adults, and groceries or other cargo.

Read more
I’m convinced Pins and Aces golf outfits are great for everyone, not just athletes
Pins and Aces banner with clothing styles

Some clothing designs stand the test of time, others transcend fashion categories or groups, just like Pins & Aces. Allow me to explain. Primarily meant for golfers and athletes, Pins & Aces carries a wide variety of golf-themed gear from golf bags to unique club heads. I don't really play golf so that doesn't excite me much. Maybe it piques your interest? Anyway, what does interest me is the large collection of unique and snazzy apparel. They don't just carry polos, they also carry streetwear, hats, shorts, joggers, and even women's and youth apparel. Thanks to Black Friday and the holiday shopping season, a ton of Pins & Aces apparel is on sale right now too. Go check it out.
Shop Now
 
What to shop in this Pins & Aces holiday sale?

Your best bet is going to be browsing the sale items yourself. I will call out a few highlights and share good deals here. However, there's so much that I cannot cover it all. Especially if you're shopping for someone else, do yourself a favor and go peek.

Read more
This Costway outdoor pizza oven isn’t messing around — $169 off for Black Friday
Costway outdoor pizza oven on patio

Forget those indoor-friendly pizza ovens. Forget the low-flame and low-smoke options. Me, personally, I want the real deal. That's why when I came across the Costway outdoor pizza oven I knew I had to share. It comes with a pizza stone, for authentic stone-cooked pizza duh, and a waterproof cover to protect the grill. But here's the best part: It can fire-cook a 12-inch homemade pizza pie. Oh, yes. Normally $309, it's on sale today for $140, which saves you $169. That is an incredible deal, let alone for something like this that can handle the fire and brimstone. It's live already alongside some other great early Black Friday deals.

 
Why should I buy this Costway outdoor pizza oven for Black Friday?
The best thing to do when it's time to cook, in my humble opinion, is to head outside and light up my trusty Blackstone. It works great, but if I want to wood fire a pizza I'll need something else. That's precisely where this Costway outdoor pizza oven comes in handy. You can adjust the level of fire and smoke to create a perfectly cooked pizza for your family, charred or not. The dual thermometer makes it easy to adjust the temperature when it's lit. Moreover, the under storage allows you to place some wood, utensils, or whatever else you might need -- so you're not always traipsing back to your shed, house or garage.

Read more