Bollard spacing is the difference between a walkway that reads safely lit and a row of glowing posts with dark gaps between them. The sites that rank for bollard lights sell the hardware; none of them publish the spacing math on the page. Here it is, along with the optics decision and the accessibility details that campus and municipal projects get flagged on.
Bollard Lights: Spacing by Lumen Package
Pathway illuminance targets come from IES recommended practice: public walkways generally call for an average of about 0.5 maintained footcandles, with higher targets at transition zones and where security cameras need usable light. At typical 36 to 42 inch bollard heights, that translates into the spacing starting points below. Treat them as layout inputs, not final answers; run a photometric layout for uniformity before ordering a full site's worth of fixtures.
| Lumen Package | Typical Height | On-Center Spacing (target 0.5 fc average) |
|---|
| 400 to 600 lm | 36 in | 10 to 14 ft |
| 700 to 1,000 lm | 36 to 42 in | 14 to 18 ft |
| 1,200 to 1,600 lm | 42 in | 18 to 24 ft |
Dome, Flat-Top, or Louvered Optics
| Optic Style | Light Behavior | Best Fit |
|---|
| Dome top | Reflects light outward and slightly upward; widest visible glow, most glare, weakest dark-sky performance | Decorative paths where the fixture itself is a design feature |
| Flat top, full cutoff | Directs light down and out with minimal uplight; best glare control and dark-sky behavior | Campuses, municipal walkways, any site under a lighting ordinance |
| Louvered | Stacked louvers shield the source and shape output into low horizontal bands; soft, comfortable at eye level | Entries, courtyards, and seating areas where visual comfort matters |
Specifiers pick bollard lighting on cutoff behavior, and for good reason: at 36 to 42 inches the source sits near eye level for seated people and children. Dark-sky ordinances and LEED site credits favor full cutoff flat tops, so check the local ordinance before defaulting to a dome. Distribution matters too: Type V optics cover open plazas evenly, while forward-throw Type III patterns work along building edges and property lines.
ADA Clearance and Impact Ratings
Accessible routes require 36 inches of continuous clear width, so lighted bollards belong beside the path, not in it, and layouts should hold that clearance at pinch points like gates and ramps. Where vehicles can reach, at drive edges, drop-off loops, and cart routes, choose an impact-rated LED bollard light with a cast aluminum or polycarbonate body and anchor-bolt mounting, so a strike bends hardware instead of shearing the wiring at grade.
The Landscape Layer Beyond the Path
Bollards handle path delineation; the rest of the site plan draws from path lights, in-grade well lights, and low-voltage accent floods, plus the transformers that drive them. Hardwired 120V light bollards suit long runs on commercial sites, while low-voltage and solar fixtures trade output for installation flexibility on garden-scale work. System design, transformer sizing, and the full fixture family live on our landscape lighting page. Stair risers and grade changes are their own category; see outdoor step lights. For area and perimeter coverage above the landscape layer, start at area and site lighting.
Bollard orders are rarely one fixture; they are site packages. Send the site plan and we will return a photometric-checked quote across bollards, path, and step lighting in one pass.
