620.14 Pavement Marking Maintenance
620.14.1 Maintenance
Support. Pavement markings should provide acceptable guidance to motorists during both day and nighttime conditions. MoDOT’s pavement marking maintenance is based on meeting or exceeding MoDOT’s minimum retroreflectivity standards. These standards, and MoDOT’s restriping policy, are designed to maintain pavement markings on state routes to meet and exceed the minimum MUTCD requirements for pavement marking performance.
MoDOT’s striping plan is based on traffic volumes and frequency of snowplow activities. Routes with heavier traffic volumes and more frequent plowing during winter storms have a higher frequency of restriping compared to those routes with lower volumes which are plowed less often during a storm.
Standard. MoDOT annual district striping plans shall meet the following criteria:
- A. Major Routes – Pavement markings on these routes shall be restriped annually
- B. Regionally Significant (Continuous Operation) Routes – Pavement markings on these routes shall be restriped annually
- C. Minor Routes with AADTs Greater than or equal to 400 – Fifty percent (50%) of these routes, not including regionally significant routes, shall be restriped annually, plus any roads that receive a surface treatment which obliterates the existing pavement markings
- D. Minor Routes with AADTs Less than 400 – Thirty-three percent (33%) of these routes shall be restriped annually plus any roads that receive a surface treatment which obliterates the existing pavement markings
Option. Routes within the Major and Regionally Significant categories may be omitted from the annual restriping requirement if the pavement marking on a given route meets or exceeds MoDOT’s retroreflectivity levels for a line to be expected to last through winter. See Pavement Marking Acceptance Table in EPG 620.16.5.
Guidance. The determination if a route may be omitted from the annual striping plan should be based on all of the following:
- A. The pavement markings on the entire route are evaluated for levels of retroreflectivity.
- B. The daytime appearance looks consistent, providing the appearance of a solid line while traveling at speed.
- C. The retroreflectivity of the markings exceed the MoDOT’s thresholds for a line to last through winter. The retroreflectivity of the markings should be determined by one of the following methods:
- Utilizing MoDOT’s third party mobile retroreflectivity contractor to collect the data. The contractor can measure the retroreflectivity along the entire length of specified lines and provide a report. This report not only drives the decision to omit routes from the annual plan but also serves as documentation for the decision.
- Using a mobile retroreflectometer.
- Using a handheld retroreflectometer, following the guidance and sample sizes outlined in EPG 620.16. This is the least desirable option, especially for long segments, as it requires ground data collection and lane closures.
- D. The data that was collected to make the determination the markings were satisfactory is documented and recorded and retained for xx years according to the document retention policy.
Option. Due to the number of miles of minor roadway a district has to maintain, the retroreflectivity performance on minor roads may be determined visually at night.
Guidance. If visual nighttime evaluations are used to evaluate minor road pavement markings, the retroreflectivity inspection should be performed on sections of roadway with a constant grade, no overhead lighting, sitting in the travel lane and measuring the length of marking visible with the low beams of the vehicle on. A line is considered satisfactory if it is visible for a minimum of 200 ft. or 5 lane line skips ahead of the vehicle by the driver/inspector using low beam headlights.
Standard. MoDOT shall ensure that adequate pavement marking is in place during the winter months on incomplete resurfacing projects. Temporary tabs or temporary tape of any kind are not qualifying markings for this application. The markings required shall represent the permanent marking patterns for the roadway providing the appropriate traffic control for the given situation meeting the guidelines of EPG 620. Such markings shall be marked on new asphalt type surfaces, or existing old pavement, and will be applied using the application rates for temporary markings found in the MoDOT Standard Specifications for Highway Construction, Section 620.10.
620.14.2 Striping Report
Support. MoDOT’s striping program is managed primarily in MoDOT’s Transportation Management System (TMS) Striping Database. This database houses the pavement marking inventory, its where the annual striping plan templates reside and are updated and where the federalization striping plans are developed.
Everyday activity relating to pavement marking, crew time, equipment and material usage, is entered and managed in the MoDOT Management System (MMS). Information on the status and progress of the striping program can be acquired through MMS under the “RESULTS”.
MoDOT also tracks the efficiencies of our striping crews using a mobile app. Crews enter each activity type (start day, gun on time, one of the reasons the striping operation had to be terminated, lunch break, etc.) and the app records the time for each event. The app then creates a report and graph showing the percent of time dedicated to each event, allowing crews to identify areas where they can improve efficiencies or document issues like higher than normal equipment failure. This information can then be used to implement corrective action with the end goal of maximizing “gun on time” or the time the crews are actually applying pavement markings. This information is looked at, not only at the district level, but also at the statewide level as well. The information is used to improve efficiencies, but also to make decisions on the direction of the state’s striping program.
Guidance. All striping crews should be using the efficiencies app to collect this data. This data collection should start May 1st and end November 1st. The app is not used early or late in the season as weather impacts are over representative during this part of the season and skews the data.
620.14.3 Unauthorized Pavement Markings
Support. In order to preserve the appearance of our highways, it is requested that marking on the roadway, for other than traffic regulations, be held to a minimum. These markings are considered detrimental to the traveling public and an unsightly marring of the roadway.
Standard. All unauthorized pavement markings shall be removed as soon as the district's time schedule will permit.
620.14.4 School Logo Pavement Markings
Support. In years past, universities and colleges were permitted to paint their school logo on the exit ramps for the interchanges leading to their campus. Over the years most of these markings have faded away and are no longer present; however, there are a very limited number that remain. These markings are not compliant with the MUTCD and, therefore, are no longer permitted.
Standard. School logos shall not be installed on state highways. Existing school logos may remain in place but shall be allowed to fade away over time without being refreshed or updated.