Evaluation of NJDOT Hardened Traffic Paint Markings and Stripes Performance

Pavement markings are the primary means for an agency to provide longitudinal guidance to drivers. Effective pavement markings can improve safety, improve driver comfort, and increase functionality/reliability of automated driving systems or Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS). To be effective, markings must be visible during all driving conditions, and be observable during both day and night. Markings are typically characterized by their retroreflectivity, which is a surrogate measure for how visible the marking is at night. However, retroreflectivity does not consider other factors that will impact the actual visibility of the marking, such as the color or retroreflectivity of the pavement that the marking is applied to, the color or width of the marking, or the viewing conditions (i.e., observation vehicle, observer characteristics, weather conditions). Retroreflectivity is also a metric for nighttime visibility, which may not relate to the marking visibility during the day. The combined impact of the factors, such as: adverse weather conditions, drying time, inadequate thickness of marking, excess traffic volume, and poor surface coating, contribute to deterioration of the quality of pavement markings. Therefore, it is highly needed to periodically evaluate the performance of pavement markings, since some markings and stripes are not performing satisfactorily, despite only being shortly applied on roadways. This project aims to obtain and analyze relevant technical and performance data of various pavement marking materials, and to determine which product(s) can be used to stripe various roadway surfaces to withstand the NJ weather and traffic conditions. In addition, this project will evaluate: drying time issues, alternative testing protocols, durability issues, cost benefits, temporary markings, and to develop an alternative specification for quick application of paints when supply chain issues arise. This study will provide guidance and recommendations to improve new marking installation specifications and techniques, improve marking maintenance practices, and evaluate the current specifications and requirements for road markings and stripes paint with respect to sensing capabilities of autonomous vehicles for operational purpose.

    Language

    • English

    Project

    • Status: Active
    • Funding: $350000
    • Contract Numbers:

      Contract ID: 23-60179, Task Order 27

    • Sponsor Organizations:

      New Jersey Department of Transportation

      1035 Parkway Avenue
      Trenton, NJ  United States  08625
    • Managing Organizations:

      New Jersey Department of Transportation

      1035 Parkway Avenue
      Trenton, NJ  United States  08625
    • Project Managers:

      Venkiteela, Giri

    • Performing Organizations:

      Rowan University

      College of Engineering
      201 Mullica Hill Road
      Glassboro, NJ  United States  08028
    • Principal Investigators:

      Jalayer, Mohammad

    • Start Date: 20230213
    • Expected Completion Date: 20250813
    • Actual Completion Date: 0
    • USDOT Program: Highway Safety Research
    • USDOT Program: Transportation, Planning, Research, and Development

    Subject/Index Terms

    Filing Info

    • Accession Number: 01875204
    • Record Type: Research project
    • Source Agency: New Jersey Department of Transportation
    • Contract Numbers: Contract ID: 23-60179, Task Order 27
    • Files: RIP, STATEDOT
    • Created Date: Mar 6 2023 10:41AM