Copenhagen Suburb Paints Road Red with LED Lighting to Protect Nighttime Bat Migration Corridors

Gladsaxe, Denmark, replaces white streetlights with red LEDs to solve a bat habitat crisis. Discover the science behind the bat-friendly "red road" of 2026.

By: AXL Media

Published: Apr 22, 2026, 8:36 AM EDT

Source: Information for this report was sourced from Sonia Ramírez and the Natural History Museum of Denmark

The Deep Red Glow of Frederiksborgvej

Drivers entering the municipality of Gladsaxe, located just outside Copenhagen, have encountered a surreal transformation of the local infrastructure since early February 2026. A busy segment of Frederiksborgvej has been stripped of its standard white LED streetlights, replaced by a specialized system that bathes the pavement and surrounding foliage in a deep crimson hue. Far from a decorative stunt, this red illumination is a precision-engineered response to a specific ecological crisis: the disruption of critical bat flight paths by the invasive glare of traditional urban lighting.

Bats at the Center of Urban Planning

The targeted stretch of road serves as a primary corridor for seven distinct bat species recorded in the area. According to local wildlife descriptions, many of these night hunters are light-sensitive and perceive bright white open spaces as high-risk zones for predators. Standard streetlights effectively act as "walls" of light, fragmenting habitats and cutting off access to vital feeding grounds. While none of the seven species are currently classified as threatened, local officials noted that some are increasingly vulnerable to the expansion of suburban sprawl into their natural greenery.

Engineering the Bat Friendly Environment

The design of the new lighting system, spearheaded by Philip Jelvard of Light Bureau, moves away from the traditional model of total visibility. The project utilizes 30 low-profile bollards, each standing roughly 3.3 feet tall and spaced approximately 100 feet apart. This configuration creates a rhythmic pattern of red light pools and darker gaps, allowing bats to navigate the corridor without being fully exposed. Jelvard emphasized that the red color also serves as a visual signal to motorists, alerting them that they are passing through a protected natural area that requires heightened environmental awareness.