Review of the Performance and Costs of Contemporary Pavement Marking Systems

摘要

The objective of this study is to provide the Montana Department of Transportation with information that will be useful in selecting cost effective pavement marking systems. This report begins with a description of available pavement marking technologies, including a discussion of performance parameters of importance and the advantages and disadvantages offered by the various technologies. A review of some of the pertinent studies completed by other states on their pavement marking programs is subsequently presented. Based on the summary of the states included in this study, pavement markings such as conventional paints are viable in areas where pavement markings do not experience high levels of wear due to traffic or winter maintenance activities. In areas where more durability is required, such as intersections, highways in snowy areas, etc., durable products like epoxy paints or thermoplastics are justified. Since the Montana Department of Transportation is able to procure epoxy paint markings for a very reasonable cost, greater use of this durable pavement marking is certainly justified, especially considering the level of wear Montana state highways experience from snowplowing and sanding. MDT's investigation of the use of mid-durable paints is warranted due to increased durability and lower cost of these products. In spite of their high cost, extruded thermoplastics and preformed tapes are still viable in areas of high wear, such as intersections and urban streets, according to the results of the studies reviewed in this report.