The primary purpose of roadway lighting is to provide a safe nighttime environment for vehicular and pedestrian traffic. For this lighting to operate at maximum effectiveness, this Guide states that maintenance must be considered and included during the system design process. Once roadway lighting has been designed and installed, proper maintenance then becomes essential to the reliability and continued high performance of the entire system.

According to this Guide, the cost/benefit relationship of proper lighting system maintenance must be determined by the system owner based upon the need for (and commitment to) reliability. This Guide provides the designer and owner with an understanding of maintenance problems and procedures, so that sound decisions can be made about scheduling and conducting appropriate maintenance for specific roadway lighting systems.