If roads are kept bare, it will only lead to total confusion on the roads. The drivers and riders will have no idea and they can take the wrong route. This is why road markings are put in place to regulate the traffic on the roads. They are highly important to promote road safety and ensure the smooth flow of traffic.
The Road Line Markings:
The road surface markings convey the essential regulation, information, or warning for the road users. The aim is to convey the road safety information to the drivers and pedestrians with the help of certain line patterns, words & colors. These marks and signs on the road facilitate a safe movement of vehicles, and pedestrians, and often include longitudinal and transverse markings as well as text and symbols, etc., on the road surfaces. These signs and markers are applicable to all categories of rural and city roads.
Road Line Marking Specifications
It is essential to have uniformity and standardization in road markings to avoid any confusion and any uncertainty regarding the meaning of those signs and marks on the road surfaces. There are certain road markings specifications. For example, there are certain guidelines to follow regarding the color, width, and layout of road line markings defined by the Code of Practice for Road Line Marking. The road marking paint is not ordinary but a hot-applied thermoplastic compound with a refectories property. They can last longer and they can resist adverse weather conditions.
- The thermoplastic material is made of a homogeneous aggregate of pigment, resins, and glass beads. The aggregate is dispersed uniformly in the resin and is free of any dirt and foreign objects. The thermoplastic material is first sampled and tested in accordance with the appropriate method and follows certified test reports. The paint must meet all requirements of specifications before being used.
- An appropriate road line marking machine is used to apply the thermoplastic road marking paint, and special attention is given to the thickness of road marking. All Road surface markings are done by machine and trained professionals can apply such markings manually for those locations where it is not possible to use machinery. When those markings are being made, the engineer must ensure minimum inconvenience to traffic and keep the workmen safe.
- Before any application of the thermoplastic material for the road line marking, it is essential to clean the road surface. There should be no dust, dirt, grease, or any other foreign. The thermoplastic material is applied with the help of a machine, and the pavement temperature should not exceed ten °C during application. You can hire an expert to evaluate the road condition and he can help you to choose the best road marking materials.
- Other than the thermoplastic, some other materials can be sued for road line marking, such as waterborne marking paint, solvent-borne marking paint, preformed adhesive tape, and cold applied plastics. However, thermoplastic markings are preferred because of their high durability and fast drying time. Moreover, the road line markings made with thermoplastics carry better retroreflective performance.
When finished, the road line markings must display certain properties that ensure their durability and quality. For example, the stripes or the markings should not be slippery and should not show any deformation after drying. It should not fade or discolor due to heavy traffic or changes in weather conditions, or extreme temperature.
Road line markings convey important messages to the vehicle users and the pedestrians. The main functions of these markings are to guide for stop and go, segregation of traffic, two lanes to one lane, give way instruction, inter-vehicle distance, no parking, parking zone, speed indication, pedestrian crossing, and type of vehicles allowed. As you can see, those signs and information are essential for traffic management.
