Solar-powered Crossing Lights Complete Wagga Wagga's Active Travel Vision
Wagga Wagga’s Active Travel Plan is one of the most ambitious active transport projects in regional New South Wales, giving residents a genuine, safe alternative to car travel.
When three new pedestrian crossings were added along the dangerous Kooringal corridor, Council needed a PX2 compliant lighting solution that was fast and affordable to deliver.
Installed and operational in just six weeks, Leadsun solar lighting is now helping bring Wagga Wagga’s bold active transport vision to life, every single night.
Client
Wagga Wagga City Council
With a growing population of almost 70,000 people, Wagga Wagga is the largest inland city in New South Wales and the heart of the Riverina region. The Kooringal corridor in the City’s east is a major connector route that has seen a disproportionately high number of serious accidents over the years. In one widely reported incident, a pedestrian was struck by a vehicle on what 9 News Riverena described as a “poorly lit street”.
Regional areas in New South Wales like Wagga Wagga have higher rates of road trauma compared to metropolitan areas and pedestrians are among the most vulnerable, particularly at night, according to Transport for NSW data.
To improve safety and to support active transport including walking and cycling, the City has invested heavily in transport infrastructure. The blueprint for this investment is Council’s Active Travel Plan (ATP), an ambitious program for a 56-kilometre network of shared paths connecting the outer suburbs directly to the CBD and other major employment hubs.
At the start of this year, the majority of this network had already been completed with the Forest Hill Link – an 8.6 kilometre route connecting Forest Hill to Kooringal Road – officially opened in February, marking a significant milestone. The upgrades included a new bridge over Marshalls Creek and three new pedestrian crossings at Vincent Road, Bakers Lane and Kooringal Road. Lighting for these crossings, however, was not included in the original project scope, leaving pedestrians and cyclists vulnerable after dark.
Off Grid Commercial Street Lights - a Smart Solution
Six Leadsun AEX pedestrian crossing light systems were installed across the three sites. Each crossing included two systems, both with 220 watt solar panels powering an 8 watt LED luminaire programmed to operate from dusk until dawn. The lights were mounted on lowerable poles with rag bolt footings, allowing easy maintenance access without specialist equipment like cranes or cherry pickers.
Critically, the lighting design was fully compliant with AS/NZS 1158.4 P (PX2) standards for pedestrian crossings and included a full lighting compliance report for each crossing. Compared to standard street lighting, PX2 crossing compliance requires higher lighting levels on the approach as well as the crossing itself, and includes vertical illumination to ensure pedestrians are visible to drivers not just on the crossing but as they approach it.
From planning to delivery, the entire project was delivered in six weeks—a fraction of the time it would usually take for a conventional grid-connected lighting system.
Safer Crossings, Lower Costs, Zero Delays
Wagga Wagga’s Active Travel Plan is one of the most ambitious active transport projects in regional New South Wales. With 56 kilometres of shared paths connecting the suburbs to the CBD, the network is designed to give residents genuine alternatives to car travel that reduce congestion, support a more sustainable city, and improve public health and safety.
The new PX2 compliant lighting installed at the three crossings on Vincent Road, Bakers Lane and Kooringal Road are an essential part of this plan that help the City of Wagga Wagga deliver on its bold vision.
The benefits extend well beyond safety. By choosing Leadsun solar-powered lighting, Wagga Wagga Council was able to reduce capital expenditure and delivery times and eliminate ongoing electricity costs.
Compared to an equivalent grid-connected lighting system that would have taken up to 18 months to deliver – including planning, approvals and connections – this project was delivered in a few weeks.
“This was a fit-for-purpose solution that ticked every box for Council,” said Gordon Manzione, Leadsun’s NSW Business Development Manager. “Compliant lighting, no electricity charges, lower capital costs than a grid-connected option, and all delivered in six weeks. When you’re rolling out a major active transport network, that kind of speed and simplicity makes all the difference.”
Most importantly, the Wagga Wagga community now has a genuine alternative to car travel that is much safer at night.
Leadsun Products used
- Solar module series: AEX
- Solar size: 220W
- LED output: 8 watt
- LED programming: Dusk to Dawn
- Pole footing type: Rag Bolt
- Pole type: Lowerable
Lighting Applications
Lighting Compliance
- AS/NZS 1158.3.1 P (PX2)
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