WDB ACFT RAN INTO CONSTRUCTION BARRIER AREA AT NIGHT.

Narrative

AFTER A VERY SATISFACTORY AUTO-LAND ON RWY 18L; I EXITED THE RWY AT T5 AND PROCEEDED N ON TAXIWAY T. THE ATIS HAD GIVEN US THE INFO THAT TAXIWAY T WAS CLOSED BTWN T6 AND T7 AND I HAD INCLUDED THIS INFO IN MY BRIEF. WE WERE LOOKING FOR SOMETHING TO INDICATE TO US THAT T WAS INDEED CLOSED AT T6; WHERE I WOULD THEN MAKE A L TURN TO TRANSITION TO TAXIWAY S AND CONTINUE NWARD. I HAD LEFT MY LNDG LIGHTS ON AS I WANTED TO BE SEEN AND TO BE ABLE TO SEE IN THE LOW VISIBILITY. I REMEMBER SEEING SOME REFLECTION OF MY LIGHTS IN THE FOG. I FELT A SMALL BUMP AND SHORTLY THEREAFTER REALIZED THAT WE HAD PROCEEDED N OF T6 ON T. I WAS ASTOUNDED AS NEITHER THE FO NOR I HAD SEEN ANYTHING WHICH CAUSED US TO RECOGNIZE THAT WE WERE NEAR T6. WE IMMEDIATELY NOTIFIED GND CTL OF OUR SITUATION; SHUT DOWN THE ENGS AND NOTIFIED RAMP TWR AND OUR PAX. A TUG WAS SENT OUT TO US AND MAINT PERSONNEL INSPECTED OUR TIRES AND LNDG GEAR FINDING NO DAMAGE. WE WERE PUSHED BACK TO A POINT S OF T6 WHERE WE CRANKED OUR ENGS AND TAXIED TO GATE 30 WHERE WE BLOCKED IN. IT IS MY BELIEF THAT THE FOLLOWING COMBINATION OF FACTORS SIGNIFICANTLY CONTRIBUTED TO THE FACT THAT NEITHER THE FO NOR I SAW THE OBSTRUCTION. A) 'BARRICADE' WAS INADEQUATE IN SIZE AND AMOUNT OF LIGHTING FOR THE EXISTING VISIBILITY AND TIME OF DAY. THE SMALL AMBER 'HIGHWAY FLASHERS' WERE MOUNTED ON WHAT SEEMED TO BE A LOW BOARD MAKING THE TOPS OF THE LIGHTS LESS THAN 10-12 INCHES ABOVE THE CONCRETE. B) THE VISIBILITY WAS REDUCED DUE TO THE FOG AND DRIZZLE AND THIS CAUSED SOME REFLECTION IN MY LIGHTS WHICH WASHED OUT THE AMBER LIGHTS. C) THERE WAS VERY LITTLE CONTRAST BTWN THE LIGHT FROM THE AMBER LIGHTS AND THE AMBIENT LIGHT. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: I WAS LOOKING FOR THE BARRIER THAT WAS MENTIONED IN THE ATIS AND FO WAS LOOKING AND STILL WE DID NOT SEE IT. TERRIBLY EMBARRASSING TO US AND INCONVENIENT TO 200 PEOPLE. MY COMPANY PUT AN ALERT ON ALL BULLETIN BOARDS AND I KNEW ANOTHER AIRLINE DID ALSO. CONSTRUCTION NOW APPEARS TO BE IN FINAL PHASE OF COMPLETION. DO NOT KNOW IF BARRIER IS STILL THERE. LIGHTS WERE IMPROVED SLIGHTLY ON THE BARRIER BUT THE INDUSTRY STILL NEEDS STANDARDS FOR LIGHTING OF CONSTRUCTION AREAS.