Pavement Marking Selection Process for State and Local Roads

Pavement markings are essential for guiding road users on both state and local paved roads during the day and night and under various weather conditions. The choice of pavement marking materials—such as wet retroreflective and retroreflective media—depends on several factors. These factors include the cost of materials, durability requirements of the roadway, presence of street lighting, presence of rumble strips, type of pavement, average daily traffic (ADT), contractor availability, snowplow operations, functional classification of the roadway, and its general location. Additional considerations may involve whether to recess the markings or provide contrast markings. Given these variables, the pavement marking type selection is inconsistent across the four Regions of the South Dakota Department of Transportation (SDDOT). A research project is needed to identify which pavement markings are most effective for state and local roads. It is also important to consider autonomous vehicles (AVs), Automated Driving Systems (ADS), and Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS)—such as lane departure warning (LDW) and lane keeping assistance (LKA)—when choosing pavement markings. These technologies, which utilize cameras and sensors to detect pavement markings, have the potential to significantly reduce crashes caused by human error and distracted driving. By establishing a standardized approach to selecting pavement markings, implementing maintenance strategies and asset management practices, and providing training across the state, we can enhance road safety by leveraging these advancements. A pavement marking selection tool, matrix, guide, and/or decision tree, along with asset management practices and training resources, are necessary to assist state and local government agencies in choosing and maintaining pavement markings based on various pavement types, traffic conditions, roadway characteristics, and functional classes, all while complying with the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) 11th Edition. This research will examine each type of pavement marking, new and emerging options, application rates, installation processes, maintenance schedules after initial placement, asset management practices, training practices, and life cycle cost analysis (LCCA).

Language

• English

Project

• Status: Active
• Funding: $114,949.00
• Contract Numbers:

  SD2024-07

• Sponsor Organizations:

  South Dakota Department of Transportation

  700 East Broadway Avenue
  Pierre, SD  United States  57501
• Managing Organizations:

  South Dakota Department of Transportation

  700 East Broadway Avenue
  Pierre, SD  United States  57501
• Project Managers:

  Doorn, Danny

• Performing Organizations:

  Iowa State University, Ames

  Center for Transportation Research and Education
  2711 South Loop Drive, Suite 4700
  Ames, IA  United States  50010-8664
• Principal Investigators:

  Smadi, Omar

• Start Date: 20250923
• Expected Completion Date: 20270630
• Actual Completion Date: 0
• USDOT Program: Research and Development

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Decision support systems; Marking materials; Road markings
• Geographic Terms: South Dakota
• Subject Areas: Highways; Materials; Pavements; Planning and Forecasting;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01989887
• Record Type: Research project
• Source Agency: South Dakota Department of Transportation
• Contract Numbers: SD2024-07
• Files: RIP, STATEDOT
• Created Date: May 20 2026 10:52AM