Evaluation of Performance of Permanent Pavement Markings

2003 ◽  
Vol 1824 (1) ◽  
pp. 123-132 ◽  
Author(s):  
Neville A. Parker ◽  
Massawe S. J. Meja
Keyword(s):  
New Jersey ◽  
Cost Benefit ◽  
Threshold Value ◽  
Department Of Transportation ◽  
Pavement Markings ◽  
Evaluation Of Performance ◽  
Actual Service ◽  
Regression Techniques ◽  
Pavement Marking ◽  
Study Participants

As an implementation strategy of the federal retroreflectivity standards requirement for pavement markings, the New Jersey Department of Transportation (DOT) evaluated its 3-year fixed-schedule restriping strategy, to determine if it is consistent with the actual service life of the pavement markings. The methodology and results of the study are presented. Two types of data were collected: measured retroreflectivity by using LaserLux and subjective ratings from a survey conducted with the participation of the New Jersey driving public along a 32-mi circuit. Multiple regression techniques were used to correlate the average scores reported by the study participants for each specific roadway section with the corresponding measured retroreflectivity. The results suggested that the threshold value of an acceptable versus unacceptable level of retroreflectivity appeared to be between 80 and 130 mcd/m2/lux for New Jersey drivers younger than 55 and between 120 and 165 mcd/m2/lux for drivers older than 55. These results are consistent with conclusions reached by other investigators in similar research, where results generally ranged between 70 and 170 mcd/m2/lux. Interim visibility indices were developed for each age group per pavement-marking type. New Jersey DOT used the indices to determine and prioritize needs and to quantify needed related resources, on the basis of the threshold between acceptable retroreflectivity and unacceptable retroreflectivity, when it developed its pavement-marking management system. This approach also allows for cost-benefit and life-cycle analysis for different pavementmarking materials.

Public Perception of Pavement-Marking Brightness

2000 ◽  
Vol 1715 (1) ◽  
pp. 51-59 ◽  
Author(s):  
Francis E. Loetterle ◽  
Richard A. Beck ◽  
Jim Carlson
Keyword(s):  
Customer Service ◽  
Public Perception ◽  
Study Participant ◽  
Cost Benefit ◽  
Threshold Value ◽  
Management Program ◽  
Pavement Markings ◽  
Asking Questions ◽  
Pavement Marking ◽  
Study Participants

The Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) conducted research to establish a threshold value of retroreflectivity for use in its pavement-marking management program. Members of the general public were invited to drive MnDOT automobiles on a driving course of state and county roads. An interviewer rode along with each study participant asking questions about the brightness (or luminance) of pavement markings within predetermined sections of roadway. The interview was conducted after dark with the car’s headlights at low beam. For each section of roadway, study participants were asked to grade the visibility of the pavement markings; the edge line and the centerline were evaluated individually. The average scores received from all study participants for a specific section were compared with retroreflectivity data taken by MnDOT’s mobile retroreflectometer. Analysis of the data revealed an apparent correlation between the readings taken by the retroreflectometer and the rating scores provided by the study participants. This analysis also suggested that the threshold value of acceptable retroreflectivity versus unacceptable retroreflectivity was between 80 and 120 mcd/m2/lx when using the Laserlux® retroreflectometer. In its continuing effort to improve “customer service,” MnDOT has committed to providing durable pavement markings that are visible year-round and is purchasing equipment and training personnel to implement this program. As a result of the market research project, MnDOT will use 120 mcd/m2/lx as the threshold between acceptable retroreflectivity and unacceptable retroreflectivity when developing the new pavement-marking management program. The establishment of a threshold retroreflectivity value also will allow cost-benefit and life-cycle analyses of different pavement-marking materials and help MnDOT to grade itself on how well it is meeting customer expectations.

Development and Implementation of a Pavement Marking Management System in Florida

2018 ◽  
Vol 2672 (12) ◽  
pp. 209-219
Author(s):  
Bouzid Choubane ◽  
Joshua Sevearance ◽  
Charles Holzschuher ◽  
James Fletcher ◽  
Chieh (Ross) Wang
Keyword(s):  
Management System ◽  
Handheld Devices ◽  
Department Of Transportation ◽  
Pavement Markings ◽  
Lighting Conditions ◽  
Florida Department ◽  
Roadway Safety ◽  
Application Techniques ◽  
Effective Use ◽  
Pavement Marking

The visibility of pavement markings is an important aspect of a safe transportation system as the markings convey vital roadway warnings and guidance information to the traveling public. Therefore, it is beneficial to maintain acceptable visibility levels of markings on pavements under all weather and lighting conditions. To ensure the intended in-service visibility level is adequately maintained, the reflectivity must be monitored and quantified accordingly. Historically, visibility or retroreflectivity of in-service pavement markings has been measured with handheld devices and visual inspections. However, visual surveys are considered subjective and the handheld measurements are tedious and potentially hazardous. Consequently, the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) has focused on the use of a non-contact technology capable of assessing pavement markings continuously at highway speeds with improved safety and efficiency. The use of mobile technology for measuring reflectivity has allowed FDOT to develop and, subsequently, implement a Pavement Marking Management System (PMMS) to improve the safety and nighttime visibility of its roadways. Implementation of such a system provides an efficient and less subjective methodology to identify conditions that are detrimental to roadway safety, and strategize mitigating solutions including the selection of appropriate materials and application techniques. The system will ultimately result in an effective use of state funds while ensuring the safety of the traveling public. This paper presents a description of the Florida Pavement Markings Management System and its subsequent implementation including FDOT’s effort to ensure the quality, consistency, repeatability, and accessibility of statewide pavement marking retroreflectivity data.

Closed-Course Human Factors Evaluation of Marking and Marker Visibility

2019 ◽  
Vol 2673 (10) ◽  
pp. 840-849
Author(s):  
Timothy P. Barrette ◽  
Adam M. Pike
Keyword(s):  
Pavement Markings ◽  
Passenger Seat ◽  
Driver Performance ◽  
Dry Conditions ◽  
The Right ◽  
Pavement Marking ◽  
Study Participants ◽  
Treatment Adequacy ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Light Precipitation

Raised retroreflective pavement markers (RRPMs) are commonly used to provide nighttime delineation of roadways. Although RRPMs are visible during dry conditions, they provide their greatest benefit during wet-night conditions, when typical pavement markings become flooded and lose their retroreflectivite properties. Naturally, the retroreflectivity of RRPMs degrades over time as a result of traffic, ultraviolet light, precipitation, and roadway maintenance activities. Subsequently, it is necessary to examine the relationship between driver performance and the condition of the RRPMs. To assess visibility relative to RRPM condition, study participants rode in the passenger seat of a vehicle operated by a member of the research team, traveling at approximately 15 mph, for two laps around a closed course. Throughout each lap of the course, nine treatments consisting of RRPMs or preformed pavement marking tape of various retroreflectivity levels diverged from a center line to either the right or left. Participants indicated when they could tell which direction the treatment diverged, which was recorded using a GPS unit. A generalized linear model was estimated on a dataset constructed by pairing the observed distances from various treatments with demographic information about each participant. The analysis indicates the distance at which a particular treatment would be visible, which can then be converted to preview time to assess treatment adequacy for a variety of speeds. The RRPM treatments generally provided adequate preview time for older drivers based on the extant literature; however, the preformed pavement marking tape was less adequate at higher speeds and under overhead lighting.

Repeatability and Reproducibility of Mobile Retroreflectivity Units for Measurement of Pavement Markings

2013 ◽  
Vol 2337 (1) ◽  
pp. 74-82 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bouzid Choubane ◽  
Joshua Sevearance ◽  
Hyung Suk Lee ◽  
Patrick Upshaw ◽  
James Fletcher
Keyword(s):  
Handheld Devices ◽  
Department Of Transportation ◽  
Safety Hazards ◽  
Handheld Device ◽  
Pavement Markings ◽  
Florida Department ◽  
Reference Device ◽  
Efficient Alternative ◽  
Repeatability And Reproducibility ◽  
Pavement Marking

The Florida Department of Transportation has historically used a combination of handheld devices and visual surveys to evaluate the retroreflectivity of pavement markings. However, visual surveys have the inherent limitations of operator bias, while the use of a handheld device is slow and labor intensive and presents safety hazards. Many highway agencies have recognized that a mobile retroreflectivity unit (MRU) may be a safer and more efficient alternative to the handheld retroreflectometers. Because the measurement process relies on the operator-driven instrument, a level of uncertainty is always a concern in evaluating pavement markings with the MRU. This research was aimed at assessing the precision and bias of the MRU while using the handheld retroreflectometer as a reference device. Ten 1.0-mi-long field sites were selected to include various pavement surface types and pavement marking materials (paints and thermoplastics). The results indicated that, when compared with the handheld retroreflectometers, the MRU demonstrated no statistical differences or bias at a 95% confidence level for the retroreflectivity values ranging between 200 and 800 mcd/m2/lux. In addition, it was determined that the retroreflectivity values from two properly conducted tests using a single MRU on the same pavement marking should not differ by more than 7.8%, and when different MRUs were used on the same pavement marking, the retroreflectivity values should not differ by more than 13.3%. This paper presents a description of the testing program, the data collection effort, and the subsequent analyses and findings.

Effect of Continuous Shoulder Rumble Strips and Pavement Marking on Lateral Placement of Vehicles

2005 ◽  
Vol 1911 (1) ◽  
pp. 105-112
Author(s):  
William C. Taylor ◽  
Ghassan Abu-Lebdeh ◽  
Sachin Rai
Keyword(s):  
Department Of Transportation ◽  
Pavement Markings ◽  
Construction Joint ◽  
Potential Damage ◽  
Pavement Marking ◽  
Rumble Strip ◽  
Shoulder Rumble Strips

Shoulder rumble strips and enhanced pavement markings were two key areas identified by AASHTO to reduce runoff-road collisions. The Michigan Department of Transportation is currently testing the effectiveness of placing shoulder rumble strips close to the edge of travel lanes and painting a line on the rumble strip to improve the retroreflective properties of the line. Two issues arise from placing the rumble strips closer to the edge line and moving the paint line onto the rumble strip: the potential increased noise when vehicles crossed over the rumble strips and damage to the pavement if vehicles moved closer to the construction joint between the travel lane and the shoulder. This study found that simply moving the paint line onto the rumble strips resulted in vehicles moving slightly closer to the edge of the travel lane. However, maintaining the current edge line and adding an additional paint line on the rumble strip resulted in vehicles moving away from the edge of the pavement and thus reduced noise and potential damage to the pavement.

Drivers’ Attitudes, Understanding, and Acceptance of Passing Lanes in Kansas

1998 ◽  
Vol 1628 (1) ◽  
pp. 25-33 ◽  
Author(s):  
Madaniyo I. Mutabazi ◽  
Eugene R. Russell ◽  
Robert W. Stokes
Keyword(s):  
Questionnaire Survey ◽  
Project Evaluation ◽  
Department Of Transportation ◽  
Local Conditions ◽  
Improvement Project ◽  
The Public ◽  
Pavement Markings ◽  
Design Practices ◽  
Comprehensive Study ◽  
Just Right

Traditionally, highway improvement project evaluation is done without incorporating highway users’ views. The Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT) wants drivers to be satisfied and have “good feelings” about its passing lanes program. KDOT needs input to decide whether passing lanes are efficient, safe, and acceptable to the public. Drivers’ views were solicited via a questionnaire survey which was part of a comprehensive study on passing lanes in Kansas. Generally, drivers support the passing lane program and suggest construction of more passing lanes. Drivers think that passing lanes are more beneficial for improving safety than for saving time. They are equally divided on the length of passing lanes between “too short” and “just right,” although the provided lengths are within the recommended optimum lengths found in the literature. The “too short” responses could be due to existing passing lane spacings, preference of four-lane highways over two-lane highways, and difference in local conditions from those used to determine lengths. Drivers cited fellow drivers’ failure to follow signs and markings properly, and failure to use the lanes properly; this seems to indicate that improvements in signing and pavement markings should be considered. A smaller proportion of drivers, satisfied with a lower frequency of local travel on a route closer to the state’s borders (i.e., more unfamiliar drivers), suggests the importance of standardizing highway operating and design practices throughout the country.

scholarly journals Using ADAS to Future-Proof Roads—Comparison of Fog Line Detection from an In-Vehicle Camera and Mobile Retroreflectometer

Sensors ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (5) ◽  
pp. 1737
Author(s):  
Ane Dalsnes Storsæter ◽  
Kelly Pitera ◽  
Edward McCormack
Keyword(s):  
Warning System ◽  
Management Systems ◽  
Warning Systems ◽  
Lane Departure Warning ◽  
Automated Driving ◽  
Pavement Markings ◽  
Lighting Conditions ◽  
Lane Marking ◽  
Lane Departure ◽  
Pavement Marking

Pavement markings are used to convey positioning information to both humans and automated driving systems. As automated driving is increasingly being adopted to support safety, it is important to understand how successfully sensor systems can interpret these markings. In this effort, an in-vehicle lane departure warning system was compared to data collected simultaneously from an externally mounted mobile retroreflectometer. The test, performed over 200 km of driving on three different routes in variable lighting conditions and road classes found that, depending on conditions, the retroreflectometer could predict whether the car’s lane departure systems would detect markings in 92% to 98% of cases. The test demonstrated that automated driving systems can be used to monitor the state of pavement markings and can provide input on how to design and maintain road infrastructure to support automated driving features. Since data about the condition of lane marking from multiple lane departure warning systems (crowd-sourced data) can provide input into the pavement marking management systems operated by many road owners, these findings also indicate that these automated driving sensors have an important role in enhancing the maintenance of pavement markings.

Analysis of Overweight Truck Permit Policy in New Jersey

2021 ◽  
pp. 036119812110266
Author(s):  
Sami Demiroluk ◽  
Hani Nassif ◽  
Kaan Ozbay ◽  
Chaekuk Na
Keyword(s):  
New Jersey ◽  
Environmental Conditions ◽  
Decision Makers ◽  
Actual Cost ◽  
Department Of Transportation ◽  
Heavy Weight ◽  
Vehicle Route ◽  
Heavy Trucks ◽  
Maintenance And Rehabilitation ◽  
The Cost

The roadway infrastructure constantly deteriorates because of environmental conditions, but other factors such as exposure to heavy trucks exacerbates the rate of deterioration. Therefore, decision-makers are constantly searching for ways to optimize allocation of the limited funds for repair, maintenance, and rehabilitation of New Jersey’s infrastructure. New Jersey legislation requires operators of overweight (OW) trucks to obtain a permit to use the infrastructure. The New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) issues a variety of permits based on the types of goods carried. These permits allow OW trucks to use the infrastructure either for a single trip or for multiple trips. Therefore, one major concern is whether the permit revenue of the agency can recoup the actual cost of damage to the infrastructure caused by these OW trucks. This study investigates whether NJDOT’s current permit fee program can collect enough revenue to meet the actual cost of damage to the infrastructure caused by these heavy-weight permit trucks. The infrastructure damage is estimated by using pavement and bridge deterioration models and New Jersey permit data from 2013 to 2018 containing vehicle configuration and vehicle route. The analysis indicates that although the cost of infrastructure damage can be recovered for certain permit types, there is room for improvement in the permit program. Moreover, based on permit rules in other states, the overall rank of the New Jersey permit program is evaluated and possible revisions are recommended for future permit policies.

scholarly journals Developing Pavement Marking Management Systems: A Theoretical Model Framework Based on the Experiences of the US Transportation Agencies

2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 18
Author(s):  
Alireza Sassani ◽  
Omar Smadi ◽  
Neal Hawkins
Keyword(s):  
Asset Management ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Relevant Literature ◽  
Building Blocks ◽  
Management Systems ◽  
Model Framework ◽  
Pavement Markings ◽  
The Us ◽  
Pavement Marking ◽  
Transportation Agencies

Pavement markings are essential elements of transportation infrastructure with critical impacts on safety and mobility. They provide road users with the necessary information to adjust driving behavior or make calculated decisions about commuting. The visibility of pavement markings for drivers can be the boundary between a safe trip and a disastrous accident. Consequently, transportation agencies at the local or national levels allocate sizeable budgets to upkeep the pavement markings under their jurisdiction. Infrastructure asset management systems (IAMS) are often biased toward high-capital-cost assets such as pavements and bridges, not providing structured asset management (AM) plans for low-cost assets such as pavement markings. However, recent advances in transportation asset management (TAM) have promoted an integrated approach involving the pavement marking management system (PMMS). A PMMS brings all data items and processes under a comprehensive AM plan and enables managing pavement markings more efficiently. Pavement marking operations depend on location, conditions, and AM policies, highly diversifying the pavement marking management practices among agencies and making it difficult to create a holistic image of the system. Most of the available resources for pavement marking management focus on practices instead of strategies. Therefore, there is a lack of comprehensive guidelines and model frameworks for developing PMMS. This study utilizes the existing body of knowledge to build a guideline for developing and implementing PMMS. First, by adapting the core AM concepts to pavement marking management, a model framework for PMMS is created, and the building blocks and elements of the framework are introduced. Then, the caveats and practical points in PMMS implementation are discussed based on the US transportation agencies’ experiences and the relevant literature. This guideline is aspired to facilitate PMMS development for the agencies and pave the way for future pavement marking management tools and databases.

Upgrading the Asphaltic Concrete Specification of the New Jersey Department of Transportation

1998 ◽  
Vol 1616 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-5 ◽  
Author(s):  
Frank Palise ◽  
Brian J. Strizki ◽  
Richard M. Weed
Keyword(s):  
New Jersey ◽  
Construction Industry ◽  
Task Force ◽  
Quality Level ◽  
Asphaltic Concrete ◽  
Department Of Transportation ◽  
Extensive Experience ◽  
Sample Mean ◽  
Air Voids ◽  
Acceptable Quality Level

An earlier upgrading of New Jersey’s specification for in-place air voids in asphaltic concrete pavement was made to strengthen the acceptance procedure and incorporate several advances in specification-writing technology. Modifications included changing to percent defective as the quality measure, switching to an equation-type pay schedule, adding a bonus provision for superior work, and including a remove-and-replace clause for seriously defective work. Changing from an acceptance procedure based on the sample mean to one based on percent defective essentially redefined the acceptable quality level from a percent defective value of 50 to a considerably more demanding value of 10. To allow the construction industry a chance to become familiar with this new requirement, a relaxed form of the pay schedule was initially adopted. Industry has subsequently had extensive experience with the new specification and the New Jersey Department of Transportation is now preparing to modify the specification further to provide an even stronger incentive to produce high-quality pavement. The modifications were developed by a joint task force representing the construction industry and the New Jersey Department of Transportation and include increasing the bonus provision, retaining the present pay schedule for quality that is only marginally deficient, changing to a more steeply descending pay schedule for seriously defective quality, and adding a more elaborate retest procedure to ensure that substantial pay reductions, when they occur, are truly warranted. In addition to controlling air voids, the new acceptance procedure also combines requirements for thickness and smoothness into a single composite pay equation. Operating characteristic curves are presented to demonstrate the capability of the new procedure.

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