Narrative:

After landing on runway 22L (newark int'l), I was cleared by ground control to taxi via the inner and rg to my gate (97). I was northbound on the inner approaching rg when the ramp controller advised that a company large transport was blocking access to my gate and to pull into the ramp area and leave room for the large transport to get out. As you may know, the area between the txwys (inner and outer) and the inner and the ramp is paved (all one big piece of asphalt). Taxiway lighting is almost nonexistent. The txwys are defined by painted lines and small tubes that stick up about 12'. As I approached rg I mistook a wide opening between the little tubes marking the taxiway edge. I made a left turn into the ramp about 30' south of rg. The cause of this error is this: as I stated, the taxiway lighting (edge lights) do not exist in this area, or most of the airport for that matter. Also, the little marker tubes are spaced too far apart. It is easy to mistake the gaps for openings to the ramp area. The bright lights from the terminal area (gates) reduce night vision such that it is difficult to see the painted lines between you and the terminal (glare and reflection). The newark int'l (ewr) airport taxiway lighting and markings are substandard, particularly for air carrier operations. I would compare it to a typical airport in some of the third world countries we operate in. How to fix it? Light up the airport.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT CREW OF MLG ALLEGEDLY TURNED OFF TXWY ACCOUNT POOR LIGHTING.

Narrative: AFTER LNDG ON RWY 22L (NEWARK INT'L), I WAS CLRED BY GND CTL TO TAXI VIA THE INNER AND RG TO MY GATE (97). I WAS NBOUND ON THE INNER APCHING RG WHEN THE RAMP CTLR ADVISED THAT A COMPANY LGT WAS BLOCKING ACCESS TO MY GATE AND TO PULL INTO THE RAMP AREA AND LEAVE ROOM FOR THE LGT TO GET OUT. AS YOU MAY KNOW, THE AREA BETWEEN THE TXWYS (INNER AND OUTER) AND THE INNER AND THE RAMP IS PAVED (ALL ONE BIG PIECE OF ASPHALT). TXWY LIGHTING IS ALMOST NONEXISTENT. THE TXWYS ARE DEFINED BY PAINTED LINES AND SMALL TUBES THAT STICK UP ABOUT 12'. AS I APCHED RG I MISTOOK A WIDE OPENING BETWEEN THE LITTLE TUBES MARKING THE TXWY EDGE. I MADE A LEFT TURN INTO THE RAMP ABOUT 30' S OF RG. THE CAUSE OF THIS ERROR IS THIS: AS I STATED, THE TXWY LIGHTING (EDGE LIGHTS) DO NOT EXIST IN THIS AREA, OR MOST OF THE ARPT FOR THAT MATTER. ALSO, THE LITTLE MARKER TUBES ARE SPACED TOO FAR APART. IT IS EASY TO MISTAKE THE GAPS FOR OPENINGS TO THE RAMP AREA. THE BRIGHT LIGHTS FROM THE TERMINAL AREA (GATES) REDUCE NIGHT VISION SUCH THAT IT IS DIFFICULT TO SEE THE PAINTED LINES BETWEEN YOU AND THE TERMINAL (GLARE AND REFLECTION). THE NEWARK INT'L (EWR) ARPT TXWY LIGHTING AND MARKINGS ARE SUBSTANDARD, PARTICULARLY FOR AIR CARRIER OPERATIONS. I WOULD COMPARE IT TO A TYPICAL ARPT IN SOME OF THE THIRD WORLD COUNTRIES WE OPERATE IN. HOW TO FIX IT? LIGHT UP THE ARPT.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.