Today’s lighted bollards provide safety, directional clarity and design cohesion for streetscapes, parking areas, neighborhoods, and event facilities.

Although the word bollard is originally a 14th century-old Norse word meaning “hard tree trunk,” it wasn’t until the 17^th and 18^th centuries that “bollard” was being used as a term for a mooring post. Cannons were buried in the ground muzzle-down and used as bollards by attaching ropes from ships as they moored at the wharf or harbor.  It wasn’t until a century later that the term bollard referred to a short, thick post-installed to control road traffic and protect pedestrians and structures.

The bollard was not done evolving, however. In 1912 metal halide lamps that produced light by passing an electric current through a combination of mercury and metal halide gas were invented. The evolution of the bollard continued in the 19^th and 20^th centuries with the innovation of the lighted bollard.

Over the next 80 years, lighted bollards were “lighting the way” along streets, sidewalks, pathways, and gardens as their popularity continued to grow.

No longer used for just traffic patterns and safety, lighted bollards were installed in neighborhood parks, retail shopping areas, and urban landscape designs as high-visibility barriers and subtle artistic waypoints. The bollard’s future was bright with possibilities.

For many decades metal halide lights had been the standard for lighting bollards and countless types of other light posts and fixtures. In the early 2000s, LED lighting brightened the world with its low cost, instantaneous response, smooth dimming capabilities, and energy-efficient long lifespan. With this new technology came new opportunities for bollards.

Today, LED lighting is the most energy-efficient lighting available on the market. LED technology has furthered the design capabilities for bollards and enabled new designs and light distribution capabilities. Whether using integrated LED bollards to direct traffic, protect pedestrians, enhance streetscapes, or highlight pathways, LED bollards are lighting the way for a brighter future. Brandon Industries offers a variety of aluminum, polyester powder-coated LED bollards with the choice of color temperature (CCT) and light distribution angles.