Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP); Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Multiengine
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 409; Flight Crew Type 12500
Confusion; Situational Awareness; Distraction
Ground Event / Encounter Other / Unknown
Air Traffic Control Issued New Clearance; Air Traffic Control Provided Assistance; Flight Crew Became Reoriented; Flight Crew Requested ATC Assistance / Clarification
Airport; ATC Equipment / Nav Facility / Buildings
Upon landing I was instructed by Ground to taxi to the deice area. Abeam the deice area; heading east a series of Blue Taxiway lights; highlighting the north side; made it unclear as to entry and exit points. There was no clear signage. Some of the taxiway lights seemed embedded (L-850C) and some appeared on standard light poles (L-861T). L-861T can be as high as 14 inches. Fixture heights are specified as late as AC 150/5345-46. With no exit and exit indicators; no green guide lights; and yellow lines appearing to turn into blue lights we decided not to enter. There was no congestion issue as it was late and Ground allowed us to fully taxi around counter clockwise to our new gate. Blue lights are edge lighting and taxiing over them and between them just doesn't make sense. That whole area needs to be redesigned for night operations to include entry point signage; wide entry points; and configured with L-850C with Controller instructions that they are embedded and crossable. If Winter Operations are the concern; 14 inch lights are fine; but again; clear and wide entry points need to be defined on the 10-9 which I assume are on the east or west ends. That too should be put into the 10-9 page. This area creates hesitation with blue edge lights. I explained this to the Ground Controller and apologized for my reluctance to enter and he was understanding; once I explained my hesitancy with blue lighting and unclear signs; and yellow line confusion; etc.
Air carrier Captain reported taxiway lighting and signage at BWI airport is confusing and hard to define at night.