Motorists across the state of California will notice a new generation of road striping on highways, freeways, and interstates that is wider, brighter, and long-lasting. The California DOT (Caltrans) has increased the width of all 4-in.-wide Longitudinal traffic lines to 6-in.-wide high-profile striping on the state highway system.
The new 6-in.-wide, highly reflective road striping debuted in 2017 as part of the "Across the Top" I-80 project in Sacramento. Crews made various improvements across a 10-mile section of I-80, and the $136 The million project was an ideal project to test the new striping since the interstate is heavily traveled and a main route to the capital city. Caltrans was able to see if the materials could sustain the wear and tear of heavy traffic, and monitor the durability and effectiveness Of the new striping.
Using glass bead retro-reflectivity, light rays enter glass beads and are reflected at drivers allowing motorists to better see the traffic lines on the road.
After seeing the success, Caltrans decided to re-stripe 50,000-plus lane miles of the state highway system in the next decade with the new road demarcation lines replacing the longtime standard 4-in.-wide stripes. The material of tape and thermal plastic embedded with glass beads. Both the reflective material and reflective tape used in striping contains tiny glass beads that enhance reflectivity, particularly when illuminated by vehicle headlamps or in rainy conditions. a minimum level of reflectivity despite constant heavy wear. However, not all parts of the state will see the new striping material because it will not be applied on roadways above 3,000 ft in elevation where snow removal equipment is used. The shovels that scrape snow and ice off the roadway would also remove the thermoplastic striping so Caltrans' maintenance crews will continue to repaint those lines when damage occurs.
Also disappearing, as the new striping is laid, are the raised, non-reflective pavement markers known as Botts' dots, named after the Caltrans scientist who invented them in 1953. With the advent of the new striping, the ubiquitous little bumps have lived Their usefulness as lane separators.
Caltrans has implemented the use of health marking material by developing warranty-based performance specifications, permanent tape, methyl methacrylate (MMA), and thermoplastic with enhanced wet-night visibility. The marking selection guideline was developed to aid Project Engineers with the process of selecting Traffic marking on highways. The marking material selection process is based on the estimated remaining pavement service life, pavement type, climate, location, and the expected performance of the striping material.
Caltrans recognizes the potential cost-effectiveness and safety enhancement of broader traffic stripes and warranty-based markings on a system-wide basis. The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) published a Supplemental Notice of Proposed Amendment (SNPA) to the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Based on the document, the minimum retained retro-reflectivity of markings.
Based on the technical literature and agency responses, wider stripes improve driving conditions such as long-range detection under nighttime, stimulation of the peripheral vision, lane positioning, and driver comfort. Markings provide an important means of visually communicating how drivers must use a roadway The new 6-in. striping, with its wider and brighter profile, is expected to enhance safety for older drivers and truckers as well as in challenging conditions such as rain. Per FHWA's Handbook for Design Roadways for the Aging Population, the increase in the width of longitudinal traffic lines benefits older drivers and increases the visibility of lane line delineation for all road users by providing improved roadway guidance, especially during periods of impaired visibility, such as wet night conditions.
Markings must be capable of conveying information during inclement weather and evening hours when there may be little to no illumination from overhead lighting. The 6-in.-wide striping provides a valuable continuous stream of information about the roadway that signs or signals cannot supply. They alert drivers to changes in the roadway and help them maintain their position inside the lane without requiring the driver to take their eyes off the road. Striping is used to separate vice traffic streams and channel traffic into the proper roadway positions. When motorists operate a vehicle, they use markings to guide them through the roadway.
More visible markings with wider widths and higher retro-reflectivity can increase the distance with which the lines are detectable and may improve a motorists' ability to perceive the marking in their peripheral vision. These enhancements improve lane keeping and positively impact safety.
As Caltrans prepares for future innovations and technologies, the department has been proactive in reaching out to transportation industry leaders. Caltrans consulted with auto manufacturers Tesla and Google, two major players in the autonomous vehicle industry, about the striping changeover. Autonomous vehicles feature configured sensor The technology of the digits of the highways, the lines of the highways and the high-performance markings of the highways and the markings. The 6-in.-wide highly reflective striping will be a better roadway guide for autonomous vehicles than the 4-in. striping.
Caltrans'goal is to enhance safety on California state highways and make it easier to navigate no matter what time a person travels. In the past, fog and heavy rain have hindered motorists' abilities to see the striping on the road so it is Caltrans hope With the bright material 6-in. striping will provide more visibility. With the new material being used to enhance reflectivity and the light rays from vehicle headlamps that project off the glass beads, the white 6-in. reflective striping will shine a safe passage For motorists traveling in the Golden State.
