Service Stations in Loudoun County: A comparison of two installations.
This Exxon station on the main street in Middleburg recently relamped with 400 watt metal halide fixtures. This station is many times brighter than anything else in the town. The glare has caused a fair amount of annoyance to the community. We measured the light output under the canopy and found a low of about 45 foot-candles and a high of about 80 foot candles. Most readings were in the 60 foot candle range. This station is quite out of place in this rustic town. It would be considered bright even in an urban setting.
This nice home is just across the street from the Exxon pictured above. As you can see, the light trespass on this property is quite substantial. We understand that the owner of the Exxon and the Town of Middleburg are attempting to resolve this problem by shielding the fixtures and perhaps by reducing the wattages of the lamps being used. We hope that a satisfactory resolution will occur. Happy neighbors are certainly good for business!
Compare the Exxon above to this Shell Station at 502 S. King Street in the large town of Leesburg. All of the fixtures are recessed into the canopy so visibity is excellent and glare is non-existant. Foot-candle measurements ranged from a low of about 17 and a high of about 40. Most measurements were in the 28 - 30 foot-candle range. This is a new installation and should be considered an ideal design example. It has a crisp, clean, inviting, and safe appearance which is free of the problems associated with the Exxon station in Middleburg.