Nighttime Work Zone Safety

Barrels that warn drivers before they become a problem.

SWZL is a solar-powered LED display and power pod that clips onto standard channelizer drums — turning a passive barrel into an illuminated, mesh-networked warning device engineers can see, control, and trust after dark.

Request a Demo View Specifications
≥3,000 cd/m² Panel brightness
10–64 Nodes per mesh zone
≥24 hrs Solar-charged runtime
IP65 / IK08 Enclosure rating
A row of traffic barrels fitted with SWZL solar LED display modules, each glowing amber with a directional arrow, lined along a dark highway work zone at night.
SWZL-equipped channelizer drums, active mesh zone
>50%

of fatal work-zone crashes occurred at night in 2024 — the exact conditions FHWA's EDC-8 initiative asks state DOTs to address with better lighting, traffic control devices, and automated intrusion alerting.

Source: FHWA, 2026 National Work Zone Awareness Week Factsheet
The System

One retrofit, three sub-assemblies.

SWZL mounts to any standard NCHRP 350 / MASH-compliant 28″ or 36″ channelizer drum with no permanent modification — swap it onto barrels already in the fleet.

Close-up studio rendering of the SWZL power pod: a solar panel above an amber LED arrow display, mounted on an orange traffic barrel handle.
01

LED Display Module

Outdoor-rated amber dot-matrix display in MUTCD's amber chromaticity zone, built for Type B Barricade Light compliance and legible in direct sun or headlight glare.

590–595 nm amber ≥10,000 mcd peak / pixel ≥400 Hz refresh, no flicker on camera Auto photocell dimming, day/night
02

Solar Panel Assembly

A 20W monocrystalline panel and MPPT controller keep the LiFePO4 pack topped off through overcast stretches and short winter days, with no cabling back to a generator or grid tie.

≥21% cell efficiency 10 Ah / 128 Wh pack, 15 Ah upgrade path ≥24 hr runtime at 50% brightness ≥2,000 charge cycles
03

Mount & Base Assembly

A swivel/tilt pedestal in UV-stabilized enclosure material survives the wind loads, impacts, and temperature swings of a live work zone, and comes off the same barrel in seconds for redeployment.

±30° tilt, 360° swivel IP65, IK08 impact rating −40°C to +70°C operating range 316 stainless fasteners
How It Works

Every barrel talks to the crew — and to each other.

Each unit joins a Bluetooth Mesh zone on power-up. Crews provision, group, and control the entire work zone from a phone — no radios, no manual flag changes.

Zone-wide provisioning

iOS and Android app (Flutter-based) provisions 10–64 units per zone over Bluetooth 5.x, then groups them for merges, lane shifts, and detours in one tap.

Synchronized sequencing

Mesh-wide flash and arrow-sequence timing holds within 50 ms across all nodes, so sequential arrow boards read correctly at highway speed.

Strike & tip-over alerting

An onboard 3-axis accelerometer detects a barrel strike or tip-over and pushes a mesh-wide alert to every unit in the zone within moments — an early warning cue, not a substitute for a dedicated intrusion radar.

OTA firmware & diagnostics

Firmware updates and fault logs push over mesh DFU or a sealed USB-C port, so a fleet in the field never needs a bench visit for a software fix.

Close-up of a SWZL LED display at night showing the word MERGE with a directional arrow, illuminated amber against a blurred highway background.
Configurable Messaging

Every unit renders text and arrows — MERGE, SLOW, LANE CLOSED — not just a static warning light.

Built for EDC-8

Mapped directly to FHWA's Advancing Nighttime Work Zone Safety priorities.

EDC-8 asks state DOTs to adopt proven strategies across lighting, traffic control devices, coordination, and automated alerting. SWZL was designed against those categories from day one.

Lighting

Amber LED array with automatic photocell dimming and ≥400 Hz refresh — visible without adding glare for oncoming drivers.

FHWA EDC-8 ↗
Traffic Control Devices

Mesh-synchronized sequential arrows, held to ≤50 ms timing deviation, matching the sequential-lighting strategy FHWA credits with earlier merges and fewer nighttime fatal crashes.

FHWA EDC-8 ↗
Coordination

Zone-grouped mesh control lets a crew re-sequence an entire lane shift or closure from one phone, in real time, as schedules change.

FHWA EDC-8 ↗
Automated Intrusion Alarms

Onboard accelerometer triggers a mesh-wide alert on barrel strike or tip-over — an impact-based cue that complements, rather than replaces, dedicated zone-intrusion sensors.

FHWA EDC-8 ↗
Specifications

Engineered to survive a real work zone.

Component-level specifications are available in a technical leave-behind on request. Key figures at a glance:

≥3,000 cd/m²Average panel brightness
≥10,000 mcdPeak intensity per pixel
10–64Nodes per mesh zone
≥50 mNode-to-node range
≤50 msMesh sync accuracy
≥24 hrsRuntime, mesh active
IP65 / IK08Ingress & impact rating
−40° to 70°COperating temperature
80 mphSustained wind rating
≤2.3 kgTotal assembled weight
≥25,000 hrsMTBF target
§6F.77MUTCD Type B compliance target
Program Status

From engineering samples to a fleet-ready product.

SWZL is a pre-production design with a provisional patent filed covering its Bluetooth Mesh group control and adaptive zone management. Manufacturing scale-up runs through ISO 9001:2015-certified partners.

Stage 1

Engineering samples

5–10 prototype units for bench validation, field trials, and DOT technical review.

Stage 2

Pilot production

50–100 units for a live work-zone pilot with a partner state DOT or contractor.

Stage 3

Initial commercial run

250–500 units for initial commercial deployment across multiple work zones.

Full CAD files, firmware architecture, and bill of materials are available to qualified manufacturing and DOT partners under mutual NDA.

Get in Touch

Evaluating SWZL for a work zone, fleet, or pilot program?

Whether you're a state DOT engineer, contractor, or manufacturing partner, reach out for spec sheets, sample units, or a working demo.

Inventor & Product Designer Greg Reiman
Email gregreiman5850@gmail.com
Location Milwaukee, Wisconsin