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Specifying the right pavement markings for roads and highways
With the right road marking specification, you can make a meaningful impact on the motorists that drive on your roads. Including high-performance pavement markings in your specifications will give you peace of mind that your roads will look good and perform great for years to come.
Why quality road markings matter
Safety: motorists need reliable lane guidance to help keep them safe on roads – day or night and in all weather conditions.
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Crash reduction: The increased brightness of high-performance road markings has been shown to reduce crashes, especially in nighttime¹ and rainy or wet conditions.²,³
More time to react: Brighter pavement markings provide drivers more time to react, which becomes even more critical when drivers travel at higher speeds.⁴
Safer for older populations: As populations age, brighter markings become even more important to keep drivers safe.⁵
ADAS friendly: As more drivers rely on advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS), bright, wet-reflective and wider markings will help ensure your roads are as advanced as the vehicles that travel on them.⁶
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Study Summary: Safety Effects of Wet Weather Pavement Markings, 3M 2019.
Smart tips for specifying high-performance road markings
For a traffic engineer, the safety of the motorists on their roads is a top priority. Developing specifications for road marking materials that are applied to the roads is a critical component in helping provide safety. Here are factors to consider when developing specifications for your roadways:
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Retroreflective levels and performanceSpecifying higher retroreflectivity levels and performance standards for road markings is critical for ensuring their performance at night and during inclement weather conditions.
Road markings typically appear clear to motorists navigating roads during dry daytime conditions. However, as the sun sets and night falls, drivers rely on retroreflectivity for improved visibility of road markings to help them safely navigate the roadway.⁸
As a means of promoting road safety the FHWA has issued provisions relating to maintaining minimum levels of pavement marking retroreflectivity. Pavement marking improvements are also eligible for up to 100% Federal-aid funding.
Improved road markings are considered proven safety countermeasures by the FHWA, and can help reduce black spots. Increasing the brightness required in your road marking specifications can provide more consistent lane guidance allowing drivers more preview time and driving comfort which helps reduce crashes.⁹,¹⁰
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Retroreflective performance in inclement weatherRoad markings can disappear from the drivers view in wet, nighttime driving conditions, creating a dangerous situation.⁸
Recent studies demonstrate that wet reflective markings are an effective countermeasure for reducing 32% of wet-night crashes and 49% of wet-night fatal injury crashes¹¹,¹² so consider wet retroreflective performance when developing a road marking specification.
3M's recommended test method for retroreflectivity performance levels: E2832-12 for Wet Continuous, which involves a wetting apparatus that continuously wets the measurement area during measurement.
For more information on ASTM test methods download our guide to understanding Pavement Marking Test Methods (PDF, 354 KB).
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Long-term durabilityExtend the life of your road markings when you specify durable, high performance pavement markings. Longer lasting markings can help you reduce the costs associated with frequent replacement of faded and worn markings. Motorists will experience less road closures and your agency can benefit from reduced labor costs.
When specifying high performance road markings, consider the traffic patterns, average daily traffic (ADT) and local weather conditions to achieve the best long-term performance on your roadways
On observed projects, 3M™ Stamark™ Pavement Marking Tapes averaged above 100 mcd/m2/lux for 7+ years.¹³
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Find the right high-performance pavement markings to fit your needs
Regardless of the climate or traffic volumes on your next project, we can help you choose the best 3M solution to deliver the desired level of all-weather retroreflective performance to help improve safety on your roads.
View the 3M Pavement Markings Application Matrix to find the solution that will fit your needs based on your specific road conditions. It shows Remaining Pavement Service Life to Annual Daily Traffic (ADT), including recommended applications for edge lines, lane lines and spot enhanced delineation.
Download the 3M Pavement Markings Application Matrix (PDF, 733.62 KB)
The markings that make a difference
3M™ Stamark™ Pavement Marking Tape and 3M™ Connected Roads All Weather Elements are designed for long-lasting reflectivity—giving you what you need to help keep your road markings visible day or night.
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3M™ Stamark™ High Performance Pavement Marking Tapes3M Stamark High Performance Pavement Marking Tapes set the bar for durability, lasting retroreflectivity and long-term value. 3M's wet reflective pavement marking tape Series 380AW received a Road Safety Innovation Award in the Infrastructure Improvement category¹⁴—and it’s the only road marking to have obtained the highest certification in night visibility and in rainy weather.¹⁵
3M™ Stamark™ High Performance Pavement Marking Tape Series 380AW
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3M™ Connected Roads All Weather Elements3M Connected Roads All Weather Elements utilize some of the most advanced technologies to deliver true reflected color and optimized visibility for all weather requirements. They feature unique 3M microcrystalline ceramic beads which are more efficient than other glass-beaded optic systems for superior performance and can be optimized for both dry and wet roadway conditions.
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References
¹ http://cmfclearinghouse.org/study_detail.cfm?stid=409
² https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/research/safety/15083/index.cfm
³ http://cmfclearinghouse.org/study_detail.cfm?stid=567
⁴ http://www.dot.state.mn.us/research/reports/2020/202009.pdf (PDF, 5.03 MB)
⁵ https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/research/safety/humanfac/04139/index.cfm
⁶ https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0361198119847620
⁷ Park et al. Safety Effects of Wet-Weather Pavement Markings. 2019.
⁸ 3M blog: What happens to the road markings at night when it rains?
⁹ Carlson et al. (January 2015). Nighttime Safety and Pavement Marking Retroreflectivity on Two-Lane Highways: Revisited with North Carolina Data. Crash Modification Factors Clearinghouse. http://cmfclearinghouse.org/study_detail.cfm?stid=409. (Retrieved September 16 2021).
¹⁰ FHWA. (December 2005). Enhanced Night Visibility Series, Volume VIII: Phase II—Study 6: Detection of Pavement Markings During Nighttime Driving in Clear Weather. https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/research/safety/humanfac/04139/index.cfm. (Retrieved September 16 2021).
¹¹ FHWA. (December 2015). Safety Evaluation of Wet-Reflective Pavement Markings. https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/research/safety/15083/index.cfm. (Retrieved September 16 2021).
¹² Park et al. (January 2019). Safety Effects of Wet-Weather Pavement Markings. Crash Modification Factors Clearinghouse. http://cmfclearinghouse.org/study_detail.cfm?stid=567. (Retrieved September 16 2021).
¹³ 3M Transportation Safety Labs. Contact 3M Transportation Safety for more information.
