Connected LED tunnel lighting fit for the world’s leading busway

Lighting up the O-Bahn tunnel

Stretching 12 km, Adelaide’s O-Bahn is the longest and fastest guided bus service in the world. Although hugely successful, the South Australian Department of Planning, Transport and Infrastructure identified a need to reduce traffic congestion from O-Bahn buses traveling in and out of the city centre.

The O-Bahn tunnel was the first in Australia to use 100% LED lighting – allowing us to streamline maintenance, improve safety and reliability, and reduce operating costs. We wanted to set the standard for tunnel lighting in Australia – and that’s exactly what we’ve done.

Sandip Bhavasar, Senior Project Engineer at McConnell Dowell

Customer challenge

The O-Bahn City Access Project was tasked with improving safety and travel times. One of a range of initiatives, the bus-only tunnel was extended by 140 metres, to a total of 670. Carrying over 30,000 passengers a day, the tunnel required a lighting solution that streamlined maintenance and ensured commuter and driver safety – all while adhering to strict standards for public lighting.

The right lighting

Signify was part of a multidisciplinary team – spanning lighting design, engineering, installation and commissioning – that took on the project. Collaborative and committed, the partnership ensured the project met all time and budget requirements while also navigating complex safety regulations and environmental considerations. Safety was core to our design and product selection.

We used high-quality Philips LED luminaires and controls throughout. Meanwhile, Philips TubePoint, specifically designed for lighting tunnels, provides high visibility within the O-Bahn tunnel while eliminating the ‘black hole effect’. To ensure a smooth driving experience, we designed bespoke road lighting for the tunnel entry and exits. Here, we used Philips Luma LED lighting to deliver ideal light distribution, minimize glare and light wastage, and reduce light pollution.

By integrating all tunnel and architectural LED luminaires with the Philips Dynalite control system, we gave the Department full visibility of the lighting and energy management system status and performance. These include reduced upkeep requirements, streamlined preventative maintenance, improved safety, and minimized downtime.