Commercial Fixed Wing
Confusion; Situational Awareness
Ground Event / Encounter Other / Unknown
Flight Crew Became Reoriented; Flight Crew Took Evasive Action
Airport; Environment - Non Weather Related; Human Factors
Recommend lighted taxiway signage for DAL. At night when the ramp is lit by the white flood lights for the remote parking of aircraft; the outbound crews have a difficult time in determining the taxi instructions for [Runway] 13R. Usually the taxi instructions are to taxi to Runway 13R via Papa; cross Runway 18; Charlie 5; Lima. The white flood lights are an immediate distraction and they reduce the pilot's night vision. Green taxiway lights are present; but there is no lighted taxiway signage for Taxiway Papa. Painted taxiway signage does exist; but is difficult to see at night and in low visibility conditions. The taxiway signage exists at the turn point for Taxiway Lima on the captain's side; but is not lighted at night. One has to turn on a forward landing light in addition to the taxi light in order to see the pavement markings.
An Air Carrier Captain taxiing to Runway 13R at night reported unlighted taxiway signage on Papa and Lima made transitions between taxiways difficult without taxi and landing light illumination.