Dark beaches – FDOT’s approach to resolving coastal roadway lighting and its impacts to adjacent sea turtle nesting beaches

The effects of artificial lighting on nesting female sea turtles and their offspring have been well documented in Florida for years. While federal and state regulatory agencies have pursued dark beaches to protect sea turtle habitat, Florida’s coastline has continued to develop and degrade nesting beaches with artificial light. Currently, Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) Design Standards do not take into account the biological conditions of adjacent properties. Transportation-related impacts caused by coastal roadway lighting affect sea turtle behavior by deterring nesting females from utilizing an otherwise suitable beach for nesting and incubation purposes. Coastal roadway lighting affects sea turtle habitat by forcing the nesting female to utilize inferior beaches that may not provide the best environment for hatching and emergence success of the clutch. Lastly, coastal roadway lighting impacts sea turtle populations when emerging hatchlings are attracted landward toward light sources. These ‘disoriented’ hatchlings usually die from predation, dehydration, heat exposure after sunrise, or getting crushed by vehicles. Hatchlings depend on visual cues from the beach in order to find their way to the ocean. With fewer hatchlings successfully making it to the ocean, fewer hatchlings make it to adulthood. This paper will discuss the development of Sea Turtle Lighting Zones, the proposed changes to the FDOT Lighting Standards for these zones, and the use of innovative lighting technology to illuminate the road for the traveling public and at the same time reduce impacts to adjacent sea turtle nesting beaches